Adapting the dyadic trust scale for the Chinese context: Psychometric evidence from two independent samples

Trust is fundamental to forming, maintaining, and repairing close relationships, yet no brief, validated instrument exists for assessing dyadic trust in contemporary Chinese samples, even though such measures are available in Western contexts. We adapted the eight-item Dyadic Trust Scale (DTS) and examined its psychometric properties in two independent samples (Study 1: N = 204; Study 2: N = 377) in the Chinese context. Item analysis and exploratory factor analysis (EFA) of the full scale identified a two-factor structure—Faith (4 items) and Security (3 items). Item 1 was removed because of its relatively weak loading and its contribution to model misfit in confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). CFA with WLSMV estimation on the refined seven-item model yielded strong model fit, with robust fit indices of CFI = .98, TLI = .96, and RMSEA = .09, and SRMR = .02, and the internal consistency was high. Convergent and discriminant validity were confirmed, and criterion validity was supported by the correlations with relationship satisfaction as measured by the Relationship Assessment Scale (total DTS: r = .69; Faith: r = .56; Security: r = .51; all ps < .001). The adapted Chinese DTS is a reliable, valid, and efficient tool for assessing trust in close relationships within the Chinese context, with applications in relationship research, clinical assessment, and trust-centered technology design.