title: Positive and negative evaluation of relationships: Development and validation of the Positive-Negative Relationship Quality (PN-RQ) scale.
abstract: Three studies were undertaken to develop the Positive-Negative Relationship Quality scale (PN-RQ), conceptualizing relationship quality as a bidimensional construct in which the positive qualities of a relationship are treated as distinct from its negative qualities. Analyses in emerging adults (Study 1: N = 1,814), in online respondents (Study 2: N = 787) with a 2-week follow-up, and in a single group pre-intervention-post-intervention study (Study 3: N = 54) of the Promoting Awareness, Improving Relationships (PAIR) program provided support for (a) positive and negative qualities as distinct dimensions via confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), (b) the PN-RQ representing an item response theory-optimized measure of these 2 dimensions, (c) substantive differences between indifferent (low positive and negative qualities) and ambivalent (high positive and negative qualities) relationships potentially obscured by unidimensional scales, (d) high levels of responsiveness of the PN-RQ scales to change over time, (e) the unique predictive validity offered over time by the PN-RQ scores beyond that offered by scores of current unidimensional measures of relationship quality, and (f) the unique longitudinal information gained by using the PN-RQ as a bidimensional outcome measure in an intervention study. Taken together, the studies offer promising support for the PN-RQ scales suggesting that they have the potential to advance both basic and applied research. (PsycINFO Database Record
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Social Sciences in Psychology, University of Rochester.
authors.forename: Ronald D
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-1875-3938
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Rogge
authors.affiliation: The Family Institute, Florida State University.
authors.forename: Frank D
authors.initials: FD
authors.lastname: Fincham
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Social Sciences in Psychology, University of Rochester.
authors.forename: Dev
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Crasta
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Florida Atlantic University.
authors.forename: Michael R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Maniaci
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D001364:Awareness; D019546:Couples Therapy; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult