Relationship Scales Questionnaire (RSQ)

Abstract

The Relationship Scales Questionnaire (RSQ), developed by Dwight W. Griffin and Kim Bartholomew (1994), is a comprehensive 30-item self-report instrument designed to assess individual differences in adult attachment styles within close relationships. The RSQ integrates items drawn from three influential prior measures: the Hazan and Shaver (1987) attachment measure, the Bartholomew and Horowitz (1991) Relationship Questionnaire (RQ), and the Collins and Read (1990) Adult Attachment Scale. Participants rate the statements using a 5-point scale to indicate the extent to which each describes their characteristic style in relationships. Although the scale yields scores for the four attachment prototypes (secure, dismissing, fearful, and preoccupied), the RSQ is fundamentally intended and optimized for use as a continuous measure of the two underlying attachment dimensions: Model of Self and Model of Other.

Keywords

Relationship Scales Questionnaire, RSQ, Attachment theory, Adult attachment, Attachment styles, Relationship Questionnaire, Dimensional scoring, Self-report measure, Close relationships.

Authors

Dwight W. Griffin, Kim Bartholomew.

Purpose

The primary purpose of the Relationship Scales Questionnaire (RSQ) is to quantify an individual’s characteristic style and orientation in close relationships based on the theoretical framework of adult attachment. Participants rate statements describing their typical relationship patterns using a 5-point Likert scale, ranging from “Not at all like me” to “Very much like me.”

The instrument is highly versatile in its application. Like the original Relationship Questionnaire (RQ), the RSQ can be specifically worded to measure general orientations toward close relationships, specialized orientations toward romantic relationships, or orientations directed toward a specific adult peer relationship. This flexibility ensures the measure can be adapted for various research settings targeting different relational contexts.

Construct

The RSQ measures adult attachment, primarily through the lens of the Bartholomew and Horowitz (1991) four-category model. The questionnaire yields scores corresponding to four distinct attachment prototypes:

• Secure Attachment: Measured by five statements.
• Dismissing Attachment: Measured by five statements.
• Fearful Attachment: Measured by four statements.
• Preoccupied Attachment: Measured by four statements.

However, the RSQ is foremost designed as a continuous measure reflecting the two underlying dimensions of attachment: the Model of Self (the degree to which an individual views themselves as worthy of love and support) and the Model of Other (the degree to which an individual views others as available and trustworthy). These two dimensions form the matrix upon which the four prototypes are mapped, making the dimensional scoring approach the preferred method for analysis.

Validity

The validity of the RSQ is strongly supported by its composite construction, drawing items from three highly influential and validated instruments in the field of attachment theory. This integration ensures robust content validity covering core elements of adult relational experiences. The predictive and concurrent validity of the RSQ is typically demonstrated through its dimensional scores, which reliably correlate with key psychological outcomes, including relationship satisfaction, commitment, and various indices of mental health.

Reliability

Reliability of the RSQ is established through standard psychometric practices, focusing on the internal consistency of the resulting scales. Scores for each of the four attachment prototypes are derived by computing the mean rating of the corresponding items. For example, the secure and dismissing patterns use the mean of five items each, while the fearful and preoccupied patterns use the mean of four items each. While the measure can produce categorical scores, researchers generally find that the dimensional approach, which treats attachment as continuous axes rather than discrete types, yields superior reliability metrics.

Factor Analysis

The RSQ’s structure inherently supports dimensional scoring, which can be achieved through two primary analytical methods. First, researchers may conduct a direct factor analysis of the 30 individual items, which typically extracts the two fundamental dimensions (Model of Self and Model of Other). Second, dimensional scores can be created by generating linear combinations from the mean ratings of the four prototype subscales, mapping them directly onto the two-dimensional space.

It is critical to note that the RSQ was NOT designed, nor intended to be used, as a categorical measure of attachment. If categorical classification is absolutely necessary, researchers are advised to use standard scores derived from the four subscale means. For optimal dimensional scoring, consultation of specialized literature, such as the Kurdek (2002) paper in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships (JSPR), is highly recommended, as this resource details the best approaches for psychometric utilization.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-report questionnaire.

Format: 30 short statements rated on a 5-point Likert scale (1 = Not at all like me; 5 = Very much like me).

Language Available: Original English (widely translated for international research).

Population Group: Adult population.

Age Group: Typically utilized with college-age students and older adults.

Population Details: Individuals assessing their general orientation to close relationships, or specific orientations toward romantic or peer relationships.

Test Methodology: Participants rate the provided statements based on how accurately they describe their characteristic style in close relationships. Scoring involves computing subscale means for the four prototypes or deriving continuous scores for the two underlying attachment dimensions (Model of Self and Model of Other).

Keywords

Griffin & Bartholomew, Hazan & Shaver, Kurdek (2002), Model of Self, Model of Other, Continuous measure, Categorical classification, Psychometrics, Adult relationships.

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Not specified in source content.

Affiliation Email addresses: Not specified in source content.

Correspondence Address: Not specified in source content (Information often associated with Simon Fraser University or relevant academic departments).

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The Relationship Scales Questionnaire (RSQ) was first published in 1994 (Griffin & Bartholomew). The scale is widely distributed for academic and research purposes. Current information regarding permissions for commercial use, licensing fees, or specific usage restrictions should be obtained by contacting the original authors or their affiliated research institutions.

Reference’s

• Bartholomew, K., & Horowitz, L. M. (1991). Attachment styles among young adults: A test of a four-category model. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 61(2), 226–244.
• Collins, N. L., & Read, S. J. (1990). Adult attachment, working models, and relationship quality in dating couples. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 58(4), 644–663.
• Griffin, D. W., & Bartholomew, K. (1994). The metaphysics of measurement: The case of adult attachment. In K. Bartholomew & D. Perlman (Eds.), Attachment processes in adulthood: Advances in personal relationships (Vol. 5, pp. 17–52). Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
• Hazan, C., & Shaver, P. (1987). Romantic love conceptualized as an attachment process. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 52(3), 511–524.
• Kurdek, L. A. (2002). On the nature and difficulty of distinguishing among attachment styles using the Relationship Scales Questionnaire. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 19(2), 253–271.

Items of the Relationship Scales Questionnaire (RSQ)

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

The items below are rated on a 5-point scale where 1 represents “Not at all like me” and 5 represents “Very much like me.” The full measure and additional scoring details can be found at the original source: http://www.sfu.ca/psyc/faculty/bartholomew/rsq.htm

1. I find it difficult to depend on other people.
2. It is very important to me to feel independent.
3. I find it easy to get emotionally close to others.
4. I want to merge completely with another person.
5. I worry that I will be hurt if I allows myself to become too close to others.
6. I am comfortable without close emotional relationships.
7. I am not sure that I can always depend on others to be there when I need them.
8. I want to be completely emotionally intimate with others.
9. I worry about being alone.
10. I am comfortable depending on other people.
11. I often worry that romantic partners don’t really love me.
12. I find it difficult to trust others completely.
13. I worry about others getting too close to me.
14. I want emotionally close relationships.
15. I am comfortable ha‎ving other people depend on me.
16. I worry that others don’t value me as much as I value them.
17. People are never there when you need them.
18. My desire to merge completely sometimes scares people away.
19. It is very important to me to feel self-sufficient.
20. I am nervous when anyone gets too close to me.
21. I often worry that romantic partners won’t want to stay with me.
22. I prefer not to have other people depend on me.
23. I worry about being abandoned.
24. I am somewhat uncomfortable being close to others.
25. I find that others are reluctant to get as close as I would like.
26. I prefer not to depend on others.
27. I know that others will be there when I need them.
28. I worry about ha‎ving others not accept me.
29. Romantic partners often want me to be closer than I feel comfortable being.
30. I find it relatively easy to get close to others.