| This doctoral project describes the development and examination of the psychometric properties of the Relationship-Trait Inventory (RTI), an 80-item, seven-scale instrument that assess deficits in the characteristics of intimate relationships. The RTI is intended for use during the initial stages of relationship therapy to discern and explore areas of discord for therapy focus. A sample of 455 individuals from universities and church congregations located in the Midwestern region of the United States, along with online social organizations comprised the study group. Responses to the RTI were subjected to a confirmatory factor analysis to assess the fit of the model to the data, followed by two principal component analyses with Oblimin rotation to further examine its factor structure. Cronbach's alpha was computed for each scale to assess internal reliability. The results indicated that the scales are internally consistent, with the RTI items captured under a single underlying factor. As a result, a shorter version of the RTI was developed for potential use as a screening tool for overall relationship satisfaction. The findings are presented in terms of validating the RTI as a relationship satisfaction instrument with seven categories useful for both therapeutic and educational purposes. The implications for practice and recommendations for future research are also presented. |
