Trust Scale (Rempel‚ Holmes & Zanna‚ 1985) – Trust within close interpersonal relationships
Instructions:
Using the 7 point scale shown below‚ indicate the extent to which you agree or disagree with the following statements as they relate to someone with whom you have a close interpersonal relationship. Place your rating in the box to the right of the statement.
Strongly Neutral Strongly
Disagree Agree
-3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3
|
1.
|
My partner has proven to be trustworthy and I am willing to let him/her engage in activities which other partners find too threatening.
|
D
|
|
2.
|
Even when I don’t know how my partner will react‚ I feel comfortable telling him/her anything about myself‚ even those things of which I am ashamed.
|
F
|
|
3.
|
Though times may change and the future is uncertain‚ I know my partner will always be ready and willing to offer me strength and support.
|
F
|
|
4.
|
I am never certain that my partner won’t do something that I dislike or will embarrass me.
|
P
|
|
5.
|
My partner is very unpredictable. I never know how he/she is going to act from one day to the next.
|
P
|
|
6.
|
I feel very uncomfortable when my partner has to make decisions which will affect me personally.
|
P
|
|
7.
|
I have found that my partner is unusually dependable‚ especially when it comes to things which are important to me.
|
D
|
|
8.
|
My partner behaves in a very consistent manner.
|
P
|
|
9.
|
Whenever we have to make an important decision in a situation we have never encountered before‚ I know my partner will be concerned about my welfare.
|
F
|
|
10.
|
Even if I have no reason to expect my partner to share things with me‚ I still feel certain that he/she will.
|
F
|
|
11.
|
I can rely on my partner to react in a positive way when I expose my weaknesses to him/her.
|
F
|
|
12.
|
When I share my problems with my partner‚ I know he/she will respond in a loving way even before I say anything.
|
F
|
|
13.
|
I am certain that my partner would not cheat on me‚ even if the opportunity arose and there was no chance that he/she would get caught.
|
D
|
|
14.
|
I sometimes avoid my partner because he/she is unpredictable and I fear saying or doing something which might create conflict.
|
P
|
|
15.
|
I can rely on my partner to keep the promises he/she makes to me.
|
D
|
|
16.
|
When I am with my partner‚ I feel secure in facing unknown new situations.
|
F
|
|
17.
|
Even when my partner makes excuses which sound rather unlikely‚ I am confident that he/she is telling the truth.
|
D
|
Scoring
The scale consists of 3 subscales. Predictability (P) that emphasizes the consistency and stability of a partner’s specific behaviours based on past experience‚ Dependability (D) that concentrates on the dispositional qualities of the partner which warrant confidence in the face of risk and potential hurt‚ and Faith (F) that centres on feelings of confidence in the relationship and the responsiveness and caring expected from the partner in the face of an uncertain future.
The total Trust measure is the sum of the 3 subscale totals.
Reference
Rempel‚ J.K.‚ Holmes‚ J.G. & Zanna‚ M.P. (1985). Trust in close relationships. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology‚ 49‚ 95-112.
