Intimate Relationships Questionnaire – IRQ
Measures assertive, nonassertive, and aggressive tendencies specific to safer-sex behaviors in unmarried adolescents and young adults.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Intimate Relationships Questionnaire – IRQ was developed by Georgia Yesmont (1992). It is designed to measure Assertive, nonassertive, and aggressive tendencies specific to safer-sex behaviors. The scale is intended for use with Unmarried adolescents and young adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 42 items organized into 4 factors/subscales: Assertiveness, Aggression, Nonassertiveness, Detractor.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Assertiveness | 4,10,17,21,26,30,31,36,38,40 | 10 |
| Aggression | 5,12,16,19,27,29,33,35,37,41 | 10 |
| Nonassertiveness | 6,11,18,20,25,28,32,34,39,42 | 10 |
| Detractor | 1,2,3,7,8,9,13,14,15,22,23,24 | 12 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 1 = Not at all like me, 2 = Slightly like me, 3 = Somewhat like me, 4 = Mostly like me, 5 = Just like me.
Scoring
Items are scored by subscale, with each subscale sum representing a distinct dimension.
Total scores range from 10 to 50. Interpretation guidelines:
- Subscale Score Range. Higher scores represent a stronger response tendency in that dimension (Assertiveness, Aggression, or Nonassertiveness). Detractor items are not scored.: 10 – 50
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Assertiveness: .77, Aggressiveness: .67, Nonassertiveness: .71.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 10 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.