Relationship Scales Questionnaire – RSQ (Bartholomew & Horowitz Version)
Measures adult attachment styles across secure, preoccupied, and fearful dimensions.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Relationship Scales Questionnaire – RSQ (Bartholomew & Horowitz Version) was developed by Kim Bartholomew & Leonard M. Horowitz (1991). It is designed to measure Adult Attachment Styles. The scale is intended for use with Adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 19 items organized into 3 factors/subscales: Secure, Preoccupied, Fearful.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Secure | 2,9,11,12,14,15,17 | 7 |
| Preoccupied | 1,3,6,10,16,18 | 6 |
| Fearful | 4,5,7,8,13,19 | 6 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 1 = Strongly Disagree, 2 = Disagree, 3 = Slightly Disagree, 4 = Neutral / Mixed, 5 = Slightly Agree, 6 = Agree, 7 = Strongly Agree, 9 = Don't Know.
The scale includes 2 reverse-scored items to reduce acquiescence bias.
Scoring
Items are scored by subscale, with each subscale sum representing a distinct dimension.
Total scores range from 1 to 7. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low alignment with attachment style: 1 – 3
- Moderate alignment with attachment style: 4 – 5
- High alignment with attachment style: 6 – 7
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 5 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.