Measuring Refusal in Romantic Relationships: Psychometric Properties of the Refusal Frequency Scale, Refusal Impact Scale, and Refusal Index in Romanian Culture

This study developed and validated three measures of refusal in romantic relationships: Refusal Frequency (RF), Refusal Impact (RI), and the Refusal Index (Rx), which combines Refusal Frequency and Interpretation. Data from 509 participants were used to examine their psychometric properties and associations with intimacy, passion, and commitment. RF and RI showed predominantly unidimensional structures, excellent reliability, and evidence of validity, while representing related but distinct aspects of refusal. RF was the strongest individual predictor of romantic love, whereas Rx explained additional variance in intimacy and passion. Negative interpretations of refusal were associated with lower intimacy, passion, and commitment, while positive interpretations showed no corresponding positive associations. The findings show that both the frequency and meaning of refusal matter for romantic functioning and may provide useful information for couple psychotherapy and research.