A primary objective of the Family Development Lab is the development of valid and reliable measurement tools for assessing family processes and related constructs. All measures listed on this website are free to use.
Self-Report Questionnaires
Individuality in Couples Questionnaire (ICQ)
The ICQ measures individuality in the context of couple relationships (i.e., the extent to which someone feels respected by their partner for their individuality and experiences personal autonomy in the relationship). Scores on the ICQ demonstrated high internal consistency, excellent construct replicability, convergent and divergent validity with measures of other relationship dimensions (i.e., intimacy, support, sexual satisfaction, psychological aggression, communication), criterion validity with measures of relationship satisfaction and partner health, and incremental predictive validity for explaining relationship satisfaction and partner well-being when controlling for other relationship dimensions.
Brock, R. L., Ramsdell, E. L., Franz, M. R., Stasik-O’Brien, S. M., Gervais, S., & Calkins, F. C. (2023). Free to be me with you: Development of the Individuality in Couples Questionnaire. Psychological Assessment, 35, 602-617. https://doi.org/10.1037/pas0001238 Download Article
Measure with Scoring Instructions ("Received" from Partner)
Note that the Enacted Version of the ICQ is in Development
Dehumanizing Deindividuation in Couples (DDC) Scale
The DDC scale measures dehumanizing deindividuation in intimate relationships that is characterized by derogation (viewing a partner with contempt), disregard (ignoring or overlooking a partner), and denial of autonomy (restricting a partner’s self-determination). Scores on the DDC were internally consistent and had excellent construct replicability. Both enacted (toward partner) and received (from partner) versions of the scale demonstrated excellent reliability, construct replicability, and convergent validity with other measures of intimate relationship functioning (i.e., emotional intimacy, support, sexual quality, affective communication, problem solving) and uniquely predicted key relational outcomes (i.e., global satisfaction and intimate partner violence). The active process of deindividuating one’s partner (e.g., acting superior to partner, ignoring partner, nagging partner) as measured by the DDC also appears to pose unique and significant risk for relationship discord and violence beyond a general lack of individuation (e.g., not praising partner’s strengths or asking for their opinions) as measured by the ICQ.
Brock, R. L. & Gervais, S. (2025). The psychometric properties of a new scale of dehumanizing deindividuation in couples. Journal of Family Psychology, 39, 171-183. https://doi.org/10.1037/fam0001311 Download Article
Measure with Scoring Instructions (Both "Enacted" and "Received" Versions)
Inventory of Partner Sexual Objectification (IPSO)
The IPSO is a theoretically-grounded and factor-analytically derived self-report questionnaire providing a multidimensional and hierarchical assessment of partner objectification. The IPSO includes one general scale of received sexual objectification (i.e., person feels reduced to their appearance and sexual attributes for the use of their partner) and three specific subscales reflecting unique manifestations of objectification in intimate relationships including body autonomy denial (e.g., partner expresses strong preferences about appearance), body neglect (e.g., feeling invisible and unattractive to partner), and (less) unconditional body appreciation (e.g., feeling attractive to partner regardless of societal standards, feeling valued as much for non-physical as physical attributes). The IPSO explains a range of individual and relational outcomes central to objectification theory (Fredrickson & Roberts, 1997) and intimate relationship frameworks. Scores from the IPSO also demonstrate the distinctive nature of objectification in the context of intimate relationships and highlight the importance of striking a delicate balance between conveying respectful sexual interest and desire toward partners while not reducing them to their sexual function and appearance.
Brock, R. L., Gervais, S., Checkalski, O.R., Finkelstein, S., & Sparpana, A. (2025). A multi-dimensional measure of sexual objectification in intimate relationships: The Inventory of Partner Sexual Objectification (IPSO). Psychological Assessment. Advance online publication. Download Article
Measure with Scoring Instructions
Support in Intimate Relationship Scale-Revised (SIRRS-R)
The SIRRS-R is a revised version of the SIRRS (Dehle et al., 2001) assessing the frequency and adequacy of received partner support over the past month. The revision of this scale, originally designed for daily diary use, captures longer-term patterns of partner support (past month). Informed by factor analyses, the scale was reduced to 25 items assessing four key forms of partner support: esteem/emotional, physical comfort, information, and tangible.
Barry, R., Bunde, M., Brock, R.L., & Lawrence, E. (2009). Validity and utility of a multidimensional model of received support in intimate relationships. Journal of Family Psychology, 23, 48-57. doi:10.1037/a0014174
Brock, R. L., & Lawrence, E. (2009). Too much of a good thing: underprovision versus overprovision of partner support. Journal of Family Psychology, 23(2), 181–192. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0015402 - Refer to this article for an alternative way of scoring the SIRRS-R to capture two forms of inadequate support - underprovision (i.e., not receiving enough support from partner than is desired) and overprovision (i.e., receiving more support from partner than is desired).
Measure with References for Scoring
Behavioral Coding Systems and Interviews
Mutually Responsive Orientation (MRO) in Couples Observational Coding System
Mutually responsive orientation (MRO) reflects an established a system of attunement, reciprocity, cooperation, and warmth between partners. Scores based on this observational coding system have demonstrated excellent interrater reliability across multiple observed contexts (e.g., discussing a stressor, planning a vacation). MRO scores have small to moderate correlations with other intimate relationship processes (i.e., conflict management, support, respect) demonstrating that MRO is a unique but related dimension of intimate relationship quality. MRO scores are also associated with numerous outcomes including global relationship satisfaction, relationship security, partner mental health, and parent-infant bonding.
Brock, R.L., Ramsdell, E., Franz, M., & Volk, S. (2020). Validation of a behavioral coding system for measuring mutually responsive orientation in intimate relationships. Psychological Assessment, 32, 713-725. https://doi.org/10.1037/pas0000826 Download Article
Contact Dr. Brock for training materials and detailed instructions for implementing the MRO coding system with couples.
Recent work applying this coding system in couples suggests that a high degree of MRO in the couple relationship reduces risk for relationship discord across the pregnancy-postpartum transition, minimizes stress when parenting young children (in press), and promotes the development of strong MRO in parent-infant relationships and subsequent toddler socioemotional functioning.
Relationship Quality Interview (RQI)
The RQI is a semi-structured interview completed with each partner of a couple dyad (separately) that provides relatively objective scores of functioning across multiple domains of the relationship including degree of emotional intimacy, quality of the sexual relationship, adequacy of partner support for navigating stress, degree of respect (and lack of control), and conflict management. Across multiple samples, the RQI has demonstrated strong reliability (internal consistency, interrater agreement), convergent and divergent validity, and predictive validity in explaining global relationship satisfaction, partner mental health, parenting, and child development. The RQI also holds promise as clinical assessment and intervention tool.
Lawrence, E., Barry, R. A., Brock, R.L., Bunde, M., Langer, A., Ro, E,… Dzankovic, S. (2011). The Relationship Quality Interview: Evidence of reliability, convergent and divergent validity, and incremental utility. Psychological Assessment, 23, 44-63. doi: 10.1037/a0021096
Contact Dr. Brock for training materials and detailed instructions for implementing the RQI with couples.
Numerous publications have implemented the RQI to isolate key features of the couple relationship reducing risk for depression and anxiety during the first 7 years of marriage and during pregnancy, promoting relationship satisfaction during the pregnancy-postpartum transition, reducing stress during pregnancy and postpartum bonding impairments, promoting early parent-infant bonding to support infant socioemotional development, and minimizing risk for toddler transdiagnostic psychopathology. A recent network analysis using RQI scores suggests that emotional intimacy is the most central feature of intimate relationship quality during the pregnancy-postpartum transition, exerting influence on all other relationship domains.