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The Unidimensional Relationship Closeness Scale (URCS): reliability and validity evidence for a new measure of
Jayson L Dibble1, Timothy R Levine, Hee Sun Park
1Department of Communicology, University of Hawai'i at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA. jdibble@hawaii.edu
Abstract:
A fundamental dimension along which all social and personal relationships vary is closeness. The Unidimensional Relationship Closeness Scale (URCS) is a 12-item self-report scale measuring the closeness of social and personal relationships. The reliability and validity of the URCS were assessed with college dating couples (N = 192), female friends and strangers (N = 330), friends (N = 170), and family members (N = 155). The results show that the scale is unidimensional, with high reliability across relationship types (M α = .96). Evidence consistent with validity included substantial within-couple agreement for the romantic couples (intraclass correlation = .41), substantial friend-stranger discrimination for the female friends (η² = .82), and measurement invariance across relationship types. Evidence of convergent and divergent validity was obtained for inclusion of other in the self and relational satisfaction, respectively.
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