Dyadic Coping Inventory (DCI)

This section is about how you communicate your stress to your partner.
1.    I let my partner know that I appreciate his/her practical support‚ advice‚ or help.
2.    I ask my partner to do things for me when I have too much to do.
3.    I show my partner through my behavior when I am not doing well or when I have problems.
4.    I tell my partner openly how I feel and that I would appreciate his/ her support.
This section is about what your partner does when you are feeling stressed.
5.    My partner shows empathy and understanding to me.
6.    My partner expresses that he/she is on my side.
7.    My partner blames me for not coping well enough with stress.
8.    My partner helps me to see stressful situations in a different light.
9.    My partner listens to me and gives me the opportunity to communicate what really bothers me.
10.My partner does not take my stress seriously.
11.My partner provides support‚ but does so unwillingly and unmotivated.
12.My partner takes on things that I normally do in order to help me out.
13.My partner helps me analyze the situation so that I can better face the problem.
14.When I am too busy‚ my partner helps me out.
15.When I am stressed‚ my partner tends to withdraw.
This section is about how your partner communicates when he/she is feeling stressed.
16.My partner lets me know that he/she appreciates my practical support‚ advice‚ or help.
17.My partner asks me to do things for him/her when he has too much to do.
18.My partner shows me through his/her behavior that he/she is not doing well or when he/she has problems.
19.My partner tells me openly how he/she feels and that he/she would appreciate my support.
This section is about what you do when your partner makes know his/her stress.
20.I show empathy and understanding to my partner.
21.I express to my partner that I am on his/her side.
22.I blame my partner for not coping well enough with stress.
23.I tell my partner that his/her stress is not that bad and help him/her to see the situation in a different light.
24.I listen to my partner and give him/her space and time to communicate what really bothers him/her.
25.I do not take my partner’s stress seriously.
26.When my partner is stressed I tend to withdraw.
27.I provide support‚ but do it so unwillingly and unmotivated because I think that he/she should cope with his/her problems on his/her own.
28.I take on things that my partner would normally do in order to help him/her out.
29.I try to analyze the situation together with my partner in an objective manner and help him/her to understand and change the problem.
30.When my partner feels he/she has too much to do‚ I help him/her out.
This section is about what you and your partner do when you are both feeling stressed.
31.We try to cope with the problem together and search for ascertained solutions.
32.We engage in a serious discussion about the problem and think through what has to be done.
33.We help one another to put the problem in perspective and see it in a new light.
34.We help each other relax with such things like massage‚ taking a bath together‚ or listening to music together.
35.We are affectionate to each other‚ make love and try that way to cope with stress.
This section is about how you evaluate your coping as a couple.
36.I am satisfied with the support I receive from my partner and the way we deal with stress together.
37.I am satisfied with the support I receive from my partner and I find as a couple‚ the way we deal with stress together is effective.
Nella vita quotidiana spesso capita di sentirsi stressati: cosa fa quando si sente stressata/o? [In everyday life people sometimes happen to feel stressed: what do you do when you feel stressed?]
1.    Quando mi fa piacere ottenere il sostegno pratico‚ i consigli concreti e l’aiuto del mio/della mia partner‚ glielo comunico [When I wish to have my partner’s practical support‚ advice‚ or help‚ I let him/her know]
2.    Quando mi sento sovraccarica/o‚ chiedo al mio/alla mia partner di assumersi dei compiti [When I feel I have too much to do‚ I ask my partner to do things for me]
3.    Faccio capire al mio/alla mia partner che mi sento stressata/o e che non mi sento bene [I show my partner that I’m stressed and I am not feeling well]
4.    Dico apertamente al mio/alla mia partner come mi sento e che sarei felice di ottenere il suo sostegno emotivo [I tell my partner openly how I feel and that I would appreciate his/her emotional support]
Come reagisce il suo/la sua partner quando gli/le esprime il suo stress? [How does your partner react when you express your stress to him/her?]
5.    Mi fa capire che mi comprende e che si interessa a me [My partner shows me his/her interest and understanding]
6.    È solidale con me‚ mi dice che anche lui/lei sa cosa significa essere stressati e che tiene a me [My partner is on my side and tells me that he/she knows how it feels to be stressed and that he/she cares about me]
7.    Si prende gioco del mio stress e mi deride [My partner makes fun of my stress and mocks me]
8.    Mi aiuta a guardare la situazione da un’altra prospettiva e a relativizzare il problema [My partner helps me to see the stressful situation in a different light and to put the problem in perspective]
9.    Mi ascolta‚ mi dà la possibilità di esprimermi e mi dà conforto e coraggio [My partner listens to me‚ gives me the opportunity to express my stress‚ comforts and encourages me]
10.Mi fa capire che non vuole assolutamente essere seccato/a dai miei problemi [My partner shows me that he/she doesn’t want to be bothered with my problems]
11.Mi aiuta‚ ma lo fa controvoglia ed è demotivato/a [My partner helps me‚ but does so unwillingly and unmotivated]
12.Per alleggerirmi‚ lui/lei si assume i compiti di cui mi occupo abitualmente [My partner takes on things that I normally do in order to help me out]
13.Mi dedica del tempo‚ ma non dà l’impressione di essere coinvolto/a [My partner devotes some time to me‚ but he/she doesn’t seem to be really involved]
14.Mi aiuta ad analizzare la situazione in modo da poter affrontare il problema concretamente [My partner helps me to analyze the situation so that I can find a practical solution to the problem]
15.Quando ho troppo da fare‚ si rimbocca le maniche per aiutarmi [When I am too busy‚ my partner helps me out]
16.Quando sono stressata/o‚ il mio/la mia partner mi evita [When I’m stressed‚ my partner withdraws from me]
Cosa fa il suo/la sua partner quando si sente stressato/a? [What does your partner do when he/she is stressed?]
17.Quando gli/le fa piacere ottenere il mio sostegno pratico‚ i miei consigli concreti e il mio aiuto‚ me lo comunica [When my partner wishes to have my practical support‚ advice‚ or help‚ he/she lets me know]
18.Quando si sente sovraccarico/a‚ mi chiede di assumermi dei compiti [When my partner feels he/she has too much to do‚ he/she asks me to do things for him/her]
19.Mi fa capire che si sente stressato/a e che non si sente bene [My partner shows me that he/she is stressed and is not feeling well]
20.Mi dice apertamente come si sente e che sarebbe felice di avere il mio sostegno emotivo [My partner tells me openly how he/she feels and that he/she would appreciate my emotional support]
Come reagisce quando il suo/la sua partner le esprime il suo stress? [How do you react when your partner is stressed?]
21.Gli/le faccio capire che lo/la comprendo e che mi interesso a lui/lei [I show him/her my interest and understanding]
22.Sono solidale con lui/lei‚ gli/le dico che anch’io so cosa significa essere stressati e che tengo a lui/lei [I am on his/her side and tell him/her that I know how it feels to be stressed and that I care about him/her]
23.Mi prendo gioco del suo stress e lo/la derido [I make fun of his/her stress and mock him/her]
24.Dico al mio/alla mia partner che non è poi così grave e lo/la aiuto a guardare la situazione da un’altra prospettiva [I tell my partner that it is not that bad and help him/her to see the situation in a different light]
25.Lo/la ascolto‚ gli/le do la possibilità di esprimersi e gli/le do conforto e coraggio [I listen to my partner‚ give him/her the opportunity to express his/her stress‚ comfort and encourage him/her]
26.Gli/le faccio capire che non voglio essere seccato/a dai suoi problemi [I show him/her that I don’t want to be bothered with his/her problems]
27.Quando il mio/la mia partner è stressato/a lo/la evito [When my partner is stressed‚ I withdraw from him/her]
28.Lo/la aiuto‚ ma non sono motivata/o e penso che dovrebbe imparare a gestire meglio i suoi problemi [I help him/her‚ but I do so unmotivated and I think that he/she should learn how to cope better with his/her problems]
29.Per alleggerirlo/a‚ mi assumo dei compiti di cui si occupa abitualmente [I take on things that my partner would normally do in order to help him/her out]
30.Lo/la incoraggio o lo/la abbraccio‚ ma i miei pensieri sono altrove [I encourage or hug him/her‚ but my thoughts are elsewhere]
31.Cerco di analizzare con lui/lei la situazione e di aiutarlo/a a comprendere e ad affrontare il problema [I try to analyze the situation together with my partner and help him/her to understand and deal with the problem]
32.Quando ha troppo da fare‚ mi rimbocco le maniche per aiutarlo/a [When my partner feels he/she has too much to do‚ I help him/her out]
Come riuscite‚ lei e il suo/la sua partner‚ a gestire lo stress che riguarda entrambi? [How do you and your partner manage to cope with the stress that involves both of you?]
33.Cerchiamo di gestire insieme il problema e di trovare soluzioni concrete [We try to cope with the problem together and search for practical solutions]
34.Riflettiamo seriamente sul problema e analizziamo che cosa si può fare [We think over the problem thoroughly and analyze what can be done]
35.Ci aiutiamo reciprocamente a relativizzare il problema ed a guardarlo da una prospettiva diversa [We help each other to put the problem in perspective and see it in a new light]
36.Ci aiutiamo reciprocamente a rilassarci attraverso dei massaggi‚ facendo un bagno o ascoltando della musica insieme [We help each other to relax through activities like massaging‚ taking a bath together‚ or listening to music together]
37.Parliamo ed esprimiamo le nostre sensazioni per tranquillizzarci [We talk and express our feelings in order to calm down]
38.Quando siamo entrambi stressati‚ ci isoliamo e ci evitiamo [When we are both stressed‚ we isolate and withdraw from each other]
39.Siamo teneri ed affettuosi l’uno verso l’altra‚ facciamo l’amore e tentiamo così di superare lo stress [We are affectionate to each other‚ make love and try that way to cope with stress]
Come giudicate il vostro modo di affrontare lo stress come coppia? [How do you evaluate your coping as a couple?]
40.Sono soddisfatta/o del sostegno del/della mio/a partner e della nostra capacità di gestire insieme lo stress [I am satisfied with the support I receive from my partner and the way we deal with stress together]
41.Ritengo efficace il sostegno del/della mio/a partner e la nostra capacità di gestire insieme lo stress [I think that the support I receive from my partner and the way we deal with stress together are effective]
Subscales are
(a) Stress communicated by oneself (SCO)
(b)Supportive dyadic coping by oneself (SDC)
(c) Delegated dyadic coping by oneself (DDCO)
(d) Negative dyadic coping by oneself (NDCO)
(e) Stress communication of the partner (SCP)
(f)   Supportive dyadic coping of the partner (SDCP)
(g) Delegated dyadic coping of the partner (DDCP)
(h) Negative dyadic coping by partner (NDCP)
(i)   Common dyadic coping (CDC)
(j)   Evaluation of dyadic coping (EDC)
 
 
1 = very rarely‚2= rarely‚3= sometimes‚ 4 often‚5= very often
Subscale scores are the sum of the included items:
(a) Stress communicated by oneself (SCO: items 1‚ 2‚ 3‚ and 4)
(b) Supportive dyadic coping by oneself (SDC: items 20‚ 21‚ 23‚ 24‚ and 29)
(c) Delegated dyadic coping by oneself (DDCO: items 28‚ and 30)
(d) Negative dyadic coping by oneself (NDCO: items 22*‚ 25*‚ 26*‚ and 27*)
(e) Stress communication of the partner (SCP: items16‚ 17‚ 18‚ and 19)
(f) Supportive dyadic coping of the partner (SDCP: items 5‚ 6‚ 8‚ 9‚ and 13)
(g) Delegated dyadic coping of the partner (DDCP: items 12 and 14)
(h) Negative dyadic coping by partner (NDCP: items 7*‚ 10*‚ 11*‚ and 15*)
(i) Common dyadic coping (CDC: items 31‚ 32‚ 33‚ 34‚ and 35)
(j) Evaluation of dyadic coping (EDC: items 36 and 37)
* = reverse-scored
 

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