Qustionnaire-Description

The RPAQ-5 is a short, five-item questionnaire created to evaluate common problems in relationships, such as:
Communication difficulties
Conflicts or disagreements
Lack of emotional support
Issues related to trust or commitment
Imbalance in responsibilities or roles
Each item measures the extent to which these problems are present in the individual’s relationship, using a Likert scale (e.g., from “never” to “very often”). The RPAQ-5 focuses on both the subjective perception of these problems and their impact on the relationship’s quality.

Data Analysis and Usage

Data from the RPAQ-5 are collected through self-report, where individuals rate their experiences of various relationship issues. These data can be analyzed to:
Assess the frequency and severity of relationship problems.
Identify patterns of difficulties that may be linked to emotional distress, anxiety, or depression.
Correlate relationship issues with other psychological variables, such as self-esteem, life satisfaction, and coping mechanisms.
Common statistical analyses applied to RPAQ-5 data include:
Descriptive statistics to explore the prevalence and distribution of relationship problems.
Correlation analysis to examine the relationship between reported problems and other psychological outcomes.
Regression analysis to predict psychological well-being or relationship satisfaction based on the type and severity of relationship issues.
This tool is often used in both clinical and research settings to support interventions in couples therapy, individual counseling, and relationship education programs.

Purpose

The primary goal of the RPAQ-5 is to provide a brief and efficient method for identifying and assessing relationship difficulties. More specifically, it aims to:
Highlight the main areas of conflict or dissatisfaction in personal relationships.
Offer a baseline for discussions in therapeutic contexts, allowing couples or individuals to focus on key problem areas.
Serve as a screening tool to identify those at risk for emotional or psychological distress due to relationship problems.

Calibration

The calibration of the RPAQ-5 includes the following steps:
Reliability analysis, such as calculating Cronbach’s alpha, to measure the internal consistency of the questionnaire and ensure that it reliably assesses relationship problems.
Factor analysis to validate the underlying dimensions of relationship issues covered by the questionnaire.
Cross-validation in different populations (e.g., varying age groups, relationship types) to ensure the tool’s generalizability and applicability across diverse relationship contexts.

Bibliography

Christensen, A., & Shenk, J. L. (1991). Communication, conflict, and psychological distance in non-distressed, clinic, and divorcing couples. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 59(3), 458-463.
Gottman, J. M. (1994). What predicts divorce? The relationship between marital processes and marital outcomes. Psychology Press.
Cano, A., & O’Leary, K. D. (2000). Infidelity and separations precipitate major depressive episodes and symptoms of nonspecific depression and anxiety. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 68(5), 774-781.