+Interpersonal Competence Questionnaire
Buhrmester, Furman, Wittenberg, & Reis, 1988
Topic: Campus Engagement & Belonging - College Adjustment
Used in this study under test and measured: https://search.proquest.com/psycinfo/docview/1717509440/3741A211530F4444PQ/11?accountid=14523 (Links to an external site.)
Description of Measure:
Interpersonal Competence Questionnaire (ICQ). This 40-item questionnaire was designed to assess five domains of interpersonal competence: (a) initiating relationships, (b) disclosing personal information, (c) asserting displeasure with others, (d) providing emotional support and advice, and (e) managing interpersonal conflict. In a preliminary study 10 items were written to assess each of the five hypothesized domains. This 50-item scale was administered to a pilot sample of 121 college undergraduates. Factor analysis revealed five factors corresponding to the hypothesized domains of competence. The current 40-item questionnaire was constructed by selecting the 8 items that loaded highest on each of the five factors. Each item of the ICQ briefly describes a common interpersonal situation. Respondents were instructed to use Levenson and Gottman's (1978) 5-point rating scale to indicate their level of competence and comfort in handling each type of situation (1 = "I'm poor at this; I'd feel so uncomfortable and unable to handle this situation, I'd avoid it if possible"; 2 = "I'm only fair at this; I'd feel uncomfortable and would have lots of difficulty handling this situation"; 3 = "I'm OK at this; I'd feel somewhat uncomfortable and have some difficulty handling this situation"; 4 = "I'm good at this; I'd feel quite comfortable and able to handle this situation"; 5 = "I'm EXTREMELY good at this; I'd feel very comfortable and could handle this situation very well"). Subjects made two ratings per item. In one column, they indicated how they would react with a same-sex friend, and in the second column they rated their response with an opposite-sex date or romantic partner.
Response Options:
- "I'm poor at this; I'd feel so uncomfortable and unable to handle this situation, I'd avoid it if possible";
- "I'm only fair at this; I'd feel uncomfortable and would have lots of difficulty handling this situation";
- "I'm OK at this; I'd feel somewhat uncomfortable and have some difficulty handling this situation";
- "I'm good at this; I'd feel quite comfortable and able to handle this situation";
- "I'm EXTREMELY good at this; I'd feel very comfortable and could handle this situation very well"
Items:
Subscale 1 - Initiating Relationships
- Asking or suggesting to someone new that you get together and do something, e.g., go out together. (a) initiating relationships
- Telling a companion you don't like a certain way he or she has been treating you. (c) asserting displeasure with others
- Revealing something intimate about yourself while talking with someone you're just getting to know. (b) disclosing personal information
- Helping a close companion work through his or her thoughts and feelings about a major life decision, e.g., a career choice. (d) providing emotional support and advice
- Being able to admit that you might be wrong when a disagreement with a close companion begins to build into a serious fight. (e) managing interpersonal conflict
- Finding and suggesting things to do with new people whom you find interesting and attractive. (a) initiating relationships
- Saying "no" when a date/acquaintance asks you to do something you don't want to do. (c) asserting displeasure with others
- Confiding in a new friend/date and letting him or her see your softer, more sensitive side. (b) disclosing personal information
- Being able to patiently and sensitively listen to a companion "let off steam" about outside problems s/he is having. (d) providing emotional support and advice
- Being able to put begrudging (resentful) feelings aside when having a fight with a close companion. (e) managing interpersonal conflict
- Carrying on conversations with someone new who you think you might like to get to know. (a) initiating relationships
- Turning down a request by a companion that is unreasonable. (c) asserting displeasure with others
- Telling a close companion things about yourself that you're ashamed of. (b) disclosing personal information
- Helping a close companion get to the heart of a problem s/he is experiencing. (d) providing emotional support and advice
- When having a conflict with a close companion, really listening to his or her complaints and not trying to "read" his/her mind. (e) managing interpersonal conflict
- Being an interesting and enjoyable person to be with when first getting to know people. (a) initiating relationships
- Standing up for your rights when a companion is neglecting you or being inconsiderate. (c) asserting displeasure with others
- Letting a new companion get to know the "real you." (b) disclosing personal information
- Helping a close companion cope with family or roommate problems. (d) providing emotional support and advice
- Being able to take a companion's perspective in a fight and really understand his or her point of view. (e) managing interpersonal conflict
- Introducing yourself to someone you might like to get to know (or date). (a) initiating relationships
- Telling a date/acquaintance that he or she is doing something that embarrasses you. (c) asserting displeasure with others
- Letting down your protective "outer shell" and trusting a close companion. (b) disclosing personal information
- Being a good and sensitive listener for a companion who is upset. (d) providing emotional support and advice
- Refraining from saying things that might cause a disagreement to build into a big fight. (e) managing interpersonal conflict
- Calling (on the phone) a new date/acquaintance to set up a time to get together and do something. (a) initiating relationships
- Confronting your close companion when he or she has broken a promise. (c) asserting displeasure with others
- Telling a close companion about the things that secretly make you feel anxious or afraid. (b) disclosing personal information
- Being able to say and do things to support a close companion when s/he is feeling down. (d) providing emotional support and advice
- Being able to work through a specific problem with a companion without resorting to global accusations ("you always do that"). (e) managing interpersonal conflict
- Presenting good first impressions to people you might like to become friends with (or date). (a) initiating relationships
- Telling a companion that he or she has done something to hurt your feelings. (c) asserting displeasure with others
- Telling a close companion how much you appreciate and care for him or her. (b) disclosing personal information
- Being able to show genuine empathetic concern even when a companion's problem is uninteresting to you. (d) providing emotional support and advice
- When angry with a companion, being able to accept that s/he has a valid point of view even if you don't agree with that view. (e) managing interpersonal conflict
- Going to parties or gatherings where you don't know people well in order to start up new relationships. (a) initiating relationships
- Telling a date/acquaintance that he or she has done something that made you angry. (c) asserting displeasure with others
- Knowing how to move a conversation with a date/acquaintance beyond superficial talk to really get to know each other. (b) disclosing personal information
- When a close companion needs help and support, being able to give advice in ways that are well received. (d) providing emotional support and advice
- Not exploding at a close companion (even when it is justified) in order to avoid a damaging conflict. (e) managing interpersonal conflict
Scoring:
Rating 1 (same sex); Rating 2 (different sex)
Citation:
Buhrmester, D., Furman, W, Wittenberg, M. T., & Reis, H. T. (1988). Five Domains of Interpersonal Competence in Peer Relationships. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Vol. 55, No. 6, 991-1008. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.55.6.991 (Links to an external site.).
Link to PDF: https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/87df/a1cba25fc8ef3fb6cfdabe79fd0add6700f4.pdf (Links to an external site.)