Power Sharing in Lesbian Partnerships Scale

Abstract

The Power Sharing in Lesbian partnerships Scale is a psychological scale developed to assess the degree of egalitarianism within lesbian couples. The instrument focuses on determining whether perceived equality in the relationship is related to similarities or differences in partners’ social status variables, such as age, income, education, occupation, and financial assets. The scale captures both objective measures (financial accounts, asset ownership, household contributions) and subjective perceptions of power distribution across key areas, including household chores, financial decision-making, sexual dynamics, self-disclosure, and commitment. Unlike previous instruments that often focused solely on one partner’s perception of power, this scale is designed for administration to both partners to compare individual assets and perceptions, allowing researchers to categorize couples based on their agreement regarding power distribution (equal, unequal but agreed, or differing perceptions).

Keywords

Power sharing, Lesbian relationships, Egalitarianism, Social status, Relational power, Financial assets, Household division of labor, Relationship commitment.

Authors

Jean M. Lynch, Mary Ellen Reilly

Purpose

The primary purpose of the Power Sharing in Lesbian Partnerships Scale is to investigate the relationship between similarity in partners’ objective social status variables and the subjective perception of power and equality within the relationship. Specifically, the instrument was created to test the hypothesis that couples who are similar across demographic and financial indicators (age, income, education, assets) are more likely to characterize their relationship as egalitarian across various domains. Furthermore, the scale aims to classify couples into distinct types based on their power dynamics (equal, unequal but in agreement, or unequal with differing perceptions) and relate these dynamics back to observable social status differences.

Construct

The scale measures the construct of Relational Power Sharing, focusing on the equitable distribution of resources, responsibilities, and influence within a lesbian partnership. This construct is operationalized through several distinct domains:

• Socio-Demographic Similarity: Measures of age, income, education, and occupation, used to establish objective social status differences between partners.

• Financial and Asset Control: Assessment of personal and joint financial assets, insurance beneficiaries, property ownership (lease/mortgage), and specific contributions to household expenses (e.g., rent, utilities, groceries).

• Division of Labor: Evaluation of responsibility for traditional household chores (cooking, cleaning, repairs) and childcare, determining whether tasks are shared equally or dominated by one partner.

• Decision-Making and Influence: Items assessing who holds the final say in major financial decisions (e.g., buying a car, insurance) and lifestyle choices (e.g., vacation, leisure time).

• Emotional and Sexual Equality: Measures of equality in sexual initiation, decisions regarding frequency of sex, sexual satisfaction, self-disclosure, commitment level, and yielding behavior during disagreements (conflict resolution).

Validity

Formal quantitative measures of construct validity, such as concurrent or predictive validity, are not detailed in the available documentation. However, the instrument is reported to demonstrate strong face validity and content validity. The authors ensured that the scale comprehensively covers areas deemed most significant to power dynamics in intimate relationships, encompassing financial, domestic, and emotional domains.

Empirical evidence derived from studies utilizing the scale (e.g., Lynch & Reilly, 1986; Reilly & Lynch, 1990) indicates consistency across diverse samples, including college students and adult populations involved in relationships lasting at least one year. These studies generally supported the scale’s utility by showing that respondents typically professed a belief in the importance of power sharing and demonstrated high levels of equality in their relationships. Crucially, when inequity was observed, the scale helped reveal that these power imbalances were often not directly explained by traditional social status differences, underscoring the unique dynamics of power within lesbian partnerships.

Reliability

The original source documentation explicitly states that no formal reliability data are available for the Power Sharing in Lesbian Partnerships Scale. Therefore, internal consistency (e.g., Cronbach’s alpha), test-retest reliability, or inter-rater reliability measures have not been reported by the scale creators.

Factor Analysis

Information regarding formal factor analysis of the Power Sharing in Lesbian Partnerships Scale is not available in the source documentation. The scale appears to be structured as a multi-domain questionnaire intended to generate descriptive data and comparative scores between partners, rather than being designed around empirically derived latent factors.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-report Questionnaire / Bi-partner assessment

Format: Multiple-choice questions, fill-in-the-blank demographic items, and Likert-type response options (often relative to partner: “I much more,” “Equal,” “Partner much more”).

Language Available: English (Original)

Population Group: Lesbian couples

Age Group: Adult (College-aged and older)

Population Details: Respondents were drawn from college and adult populations, specifically women involved in lesbian relationships of at least one year’s duration.

Test Methodology: The questionnaire is designed for anonymous, separate completion by each partner in a couple. The methodology requires both partners to return their questionnaires together to enable comparison of their responses regarding assets, responsibilities, and subjective perceptions of power distribution.

Keywords

Power dynamics, Relationship equality, Same-sex couples, Lesbian psychology, Asset assessment, Decision making, Marital satisfaction, Couple research.

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Not provided in source.

Affiliation Email addresses: Jean M. Lynch: [email protected]

Correspondence Address: Jean M. Lynch, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Miami University, Oxford, OH 45056

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

Permissions: The scale was developed for academic research purposes. Researchers interested in using the scale should seek direct permission from the corresponding author, Jean M. Lynch.

Fee: Not specified; typically free for academic research upon permission.

Test Year: Circa 1990 (Based on publication of the primary related study: Reilly & Lynch, 1990).

Reference’s

• Blood, R. O., & Wolfe, D. M. (1960). Husbands and wives. Glencoe, IL: Free Press.

• Lynch, J., & Reilly, M. E. (1985–1986). Role relationships: Lesbian perspectives. Journal of Homosexuality, 12(2), 53–69.

• Peplau, L., Cochran, S., Rook, K., & Padesky, C. (1978). Loving women: Attachment and autonomy in lesbian relationships. Journal of Social Issues, 34(3), 7–27.

• Peplau, L., Padesky, C., & Hamilton, M. (1982). Satisfaction in lesbian relationships. Journal of Social Homosexuality, 8(2), 23–35.

• Reilly, M. E., & Lynch, J.M. (1990). Power-sharing in lesbian partnerships. Journal of Homosexuality, 19(3), 1–30.

Items of the Power Sharing in Lesbian Partnerships Scale

IMPORTANT: The following scale items must be preserved in their original language and must not be changed in any way.

This questionnaire is the main source of data for a study of lesbian relationships. It should only take a few minutes to complete.

Your replies will be completely anonymous since there are no identifying marks on the questionnaire. Please do not sign the questionnaire. It is important that each partner fills out her questionnaire separately and places it in one of the blank envelopes. Both should be returned to me together in the stamped, addressed envelope provided. Since I am studying couples, this is essential. Thank you very much for your time and cooperation.

1. What is your age as of your last birthday?       years.

2. What is your income (as reported on all W-2 forms)?             

3. Which of the following best describes your highest level of educational attainment? ( ) Completed grammar school

   ( ) Completed high school

   ( ) Some college or technical school ( ) Completed college

   ( ) Master’s degree

   ( ) Ph.D., M.D., Ed.D., J.D.L.

   ( ) Other, please describe                                                

4. What is your occupation?                                           

5. Which of the following would you use to describe your occupation? ( ) Homemaker

   ( ) Professional

   ( ) Manager or Administrator ( ) Sales worker

   ( ) Clerical

   ( ) Craftsworker ( ) Farm worker

   ( ) Machinist or Transportation Worker ( ) Laborer

   ( ) Service worker

   ( ) Private household worker ( ) Other

6. What is the current worth of your personal financial assets? (stocks, bonds, property, cars, savings and checking accounts). Please estimate:

   ( ) $0

   ( ) $1,001–$9,999

   ( ) $10,000–$19,999 ( ) $20,000–$34,999 ( ) $35,000–$49,999 ( ) $50,000–$74,999

   ( ) $75,000–$100,000 or more

7. Which of the following are currently held by you? Check all that apply. A ( ) Savings accounts in my name only

   1. ( ) Checking accounts in my name only

   2. ( ) Investments in my name only

   3. ( ) Joint savings accounts

   4. ( ) Joint checking accounts

   5. ( ) Investments in my name and someone else’s

8. If you checked A, B, or C in Question 7 above, are the account(s) or investment(s) arranged so that your partner could manage your personal finances in the event that you were unable to do so?

   ( ) Yes

   ( ) No

9. If you checked C, E, or F in Question 7 above, is the other name on the account(s) or investment(s):

   Partner Relative Some other person, not related

   Checking ( ) ( ) ( )

   Savings ( ) ( ) ( )

   Investments ( ) ( ) ( )

10. If you have a will, is your partner named as: ( ) A beneficiary of all of your estate

    ( ) A beneficiary of part of your estate ( ) Not mentioned in your will

    ( ) I do not have a will

11. If you have life insurance, who is your beneficiary? ( ) Partner

    ( ) Relative

    ( ) Some other person, not related ( ) Both partner and relative

    ( ) I do not have any insurance

12. If you are currently renting, and have a lease, whose name is it in? ( ) My name

    ( ) My partner’s name ( ) Both of our names

    ( ) Someone else’s name ( ) No lease

13. If you own your own home, whose name is on the mortgage title or title to the house? ( ) My name

    ( ) My partner’s name

    ( ) My partner and I are tenants in common ( ) My partner and I are joint tenants

14. If you currently own a car, who paid (or is paying) for it? ( ) I

    ( ) My partner

    ( ) Both own it equally

    ( ) Each has her own car which she owns

    ( ) Other, please explain                                       

15. In our current residence, household furnishings are: ( ) Predominantly mine

    ( ) Predominantly hers

    ( ) Each person owns approximately half of the furnishings ( ) Ours jointly

16. In your household, how are contributions to the following arranged:

    	I pay	My partner pays	We split bills based on our ability to pay	We split bills equally	Included in the rent	Does not apply
    A. Mortgage payments	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )
    B. Property taxes	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )
    C. Rent payments	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )
    D. Insurance (house or apartment)	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )
    E. Heating bills	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )
    F. Electric bills	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )
    G. Telephone bills	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )
    H. Groceries	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )
    I. Household repairs	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )

17. Reviewing the items in Question 16 above, how would you describe your overall contributions to these household expenses? ( ) I contribute more

    ( ) My partner contributes more

    ( ) We contribute according to our ability to pay ( ) We contribute equally

18. How long have you and your partner been living together?   years

19. When you and your partner first began living together, whose residence did you use? ( ) Mine

    ( ) Partner’s

    ( ) A new residence chosen by us

20. Our current residence is:

    ( ) Mine, where I lived before meeting my partner ( ) Hers, where she lived before meeting me

    ( ) Ours, since we met

21. Do you have children? ( ) Yes

    ( ) No (Please skip to Question 25)

22. How many children do you have?

           Girls

           Boys

23. Where are the children presently living? Please describe                                    

24. Who is financially responsible for the support of the children? ( ) I am primarily responsible for their support

    ( ) Father is primarily responsible for their support ( ) Father and I support them equally

    ( ) Father, partner and I support them ( ) Partner and I support them equally

    ( ) Partner is primarily responsible for their support

    ( ) Other. Please describe                                                                                  

25. For the following items, please indicate who has the major responsibility for the following chores:

    	Always I	Usually I	Partner and I exactly equal	Usually partner	Always partner	Does not apply or done by hired person
    A. Cooking	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )
    B. Laundry	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )
    C. Dishwashing and cleaning up	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )
    D. Household repairs	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )
    E. Dusting and vacuuming	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )
    F. Housecleaning (windows, floors, cleaning
    drapes)	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )
    G. Child care	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )
    H. Payment of bills	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )
    I. Bathroom cleaning	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )
    J. Outdoor maintenance (e.g., washing windows,
    cleaning gutters, painting)	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )
    K. Lawn care	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )
    L. Gardening (flowers and vegetables)	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )
    M. Car repairs	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )
    N. Decorating	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )

26. Who do you think is more involved in your relationship—your partner or you?

           Partner is much more involved

           Partner is somewhat more involved

           We are involved to exactly the same degree

           I am somewhat more involved

           I am much more involved

27. Who do you think has revealed more about herself to the other—your partner or you?

           Partner has revealed much more

           Partner has revealed somewhat more

           We have revealed exactly the same amount

           I have revealed somewhat more

           I have revealed much more

28. Who do you think has more of a say about what you and your partner do together—your partner or you?

           Partner has much more say

           Partner has somewhat more say

           We have exactly the same amount of say

           I have somewhat more say

           I have much more say

29. Who do you think is more satisfied in the relationship—your partner or you?

           Partner is much more satisfied

           Partner is somewhat more satisfied

           We are exactly equally satisfied

           I am somewhat more satisfied

           I am much more satisfied

30. Who do you think is more committed to the relationship—your partner or you?

           Partner is much more committed

           Partner is somewhat more committed

           We are committed to exactly the same degree

           I am somewhat more committed

           I am much more committed

31. Who do you think should have more of a say about what you and your partner do together—your partner or you?

           Partner should have much more say

           Partner should have somewhat more say

           We should have exactly equal say

           I should have somewhat more say

           I should have much more say

32. If my partner and I disagreed on political issues or candidates,

           Partner would definitely change her opinion

           Partner would probably change her opinion

           Neither of us would change our opinion

           I would probably change my opinion

           I would definitely change my opinion

33. When my partner and I argue,

           Partner always gives in first

           Partner usually gives in first

           Sometimes she gives in first, sometimes I give in first

           I usually give in first

           I always give in first

34. If my partner expressed dislike for a friend of mine,

           I would definitely reevaluate my opinion of the friend

           I would probably reevaluate my opinion of my friend

           Neither of us would change our opinion

           I would probably not reevaluate my opinion of the friend

           I would definitely not reevaluate my opinion of the friend

35. If your partner were offered an attractive job opportunity in another city, how likely is it that you would move with your partner?

           I would definitely move with my partner

           I would probably move with my partner

           Uncertain if I would move or not

           I would probably not move with my partner

           I would definitely not move with my partner

36. If you were offered an attractive job opportunity in another city, how likely is it that your partner would move with you?

           My partner would definitely move with me

           My partner would probably move with me

           Uncertain if my partner would move with me

           My partner would probably not move with me

           My partner would definitely not move with me

37. Who do you think takes more of the initiative in your sexual relationship?

           My partner takes much more of the initiative

           My partner takes somewhat more of the initiative

           We both initiate sex to exactly the same degree

           I take somewhat more of the initiative

           I take much more of the initiative

38. Who do you think makes more of the decisions about the frequency of sex?

           My partner makes much more of the decisions

           My partner makes somewhat more of the decisions

           We make mutual decisions

           I make somewhat more of the decisions

           I make much more of the decisions

39. Who do you think is more sexually satisfied in your relationship?

           My partner is much more satisfied

           My partner is somewhat more satisfied

           We are both satisfied to exactly the same degree

           I am somewhat more satisfied

           I am much more satisfied

40. For the following, please check the appropriate responses:

    Who usually makes the final decision about:	Partner always	Partner more than I	Partner and I exactly equal	Usually I	Always I	Does not apply; has never been an issue
    A. What car to get	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )
    B. Whether or not to buy life insurance	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )
    C. How much money to spend per week on food	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )
    D. Where to go on vacation	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )
    E. What restaurants to frequent	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )
    F. How to spend leisure time	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )
    G. Which friends to spend time with	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )
    H. Where to go on holidays	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )
    I. What house or apartment to take	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )

41. Do any of the following know that you are a lesbian?

    Your mother    Your father    Brothers    Sisters    Other relatives    Neighbors    Friends    Colleagues at work         

42. How many friends are aware of your relationship?

    All    Most        Half    A few    None         

43. Do you and your partner participate in any lesbian organizations?

           Yes

           No

44. How often do you see your family?

    Weekly    Monthly    Several times a year    Never