Coping with Relationship Problems

Title

Rusbult Accommodation Scale

Study

PMBC

Copyright Information

A copy of the Rusbult Accommodation Scale can be obtained from the author's website,  http://www.carylrusbult.com/.  The scale only may be used for personal research purposes.  Any publication derived from data collected through the use of the Rusbult Accommodation Scale, or direct republication of the scale itself is permissible only by written consent of John Wiley & Sons, http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com

Primary Reference

Rusbult, C. E., Verette, J., Whitney, G. A., Slovik, L. F., & Lipkus, I. (1991).  Accommodation processes in close relationships: Theory and preliminary empirical evidence.  Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 60, 53-78.

Purpose

To evaluate participant’s typical behavioral reactions to dissatisfying incidents within their relationships.

Description

This questionnaire evaluates the participant’s willingness to accommodate his/her partner when the partner has engaged in a potentially destructive behavior.  It measures behavior uses Rusbult’s exit-voice-loyalty-neglect typology of responses to dissatisfaction in close relationships.

• Exit: Active responses that are destructive for the relationship, such as ending or threatening to terminate the relationship, and abusing, criticizing or derogating the partner

• Voice: Constructive and active responses such as attempting to improve conditions, discussing problems and suggesting solutions, and engaging in efforts to change problematic self or partner behavior

• Loyalty: Pro-relationship responses such as passively waiting and hoping for improvement, forgiving and forgetting partner offences, and supporting and maintaining faith in the partner in the face of hurtful actions

• Neglect: Passive destructive responses such as allowing the relationship to deteriorate by ignoring or spending less time with the partner, avoiding discussing any problems, and criticizing the partner regarding unrelated issues

The responses differ along two dimensions—constructiveness versus destructiveness and activity versus passivity. Voice and loyalty are constructive responses, wherein one attempts to revive or maintain a relationship; exit and neglect are relatively more destructive. Constructiveness/destructiveness refers to the impact of the response on the relationship, not to its effect on the individual. Participants are asked to indicate how often they engage in certain behaviors in response to their partners on an 8-point Likert scale.

Scaling

0=Never do this, 2=Seldom do this, 4=Sometimes do this, 6=Frequently do this, 8=Constantly do this

Number of Items

16

Psychometrics

In PMBC

Internal consistency reliability:

• Exit Subscale (alpha=0.73)

• Voice Subscale (alpha=0.85)

• Loyalty Subscale (alpha=0.83)

• Neglect Subscale (alpha=0.75)

• Constructive Scale (voice plus loyalty): alpha= 0.89

• Destructive Scale (exit plus neglect): alpha=0.79

Scoring/Variables

Exit Subscale: Sum Items 2, 5, 10, 13
Voice Subscale: Sum Items 1,8,11,14
Loyalty Subscale: Sum Items 3,6, 12, 15
Neglect Subscale: Sum Items 4,7,9,16
Constructive Scale: Mean of Voice Subscale and Loyalty Subscale Scores
Destructive Scale: Mean of Exit Subscale and Neglect Subscale Scores
Total Score: Average of the Destructive Scale (reverse coded) and the Constructive Scale