Assessment Guide  |   Sep 2, 2025  |   2 minute read

Relationship Satisfaction Assessment | RAS

Relationship Assessment Scale (RAS)

Recommended frequency: Every 4 weeks

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Summary

The Relationship Assessment Scale is a concise, 7-item self-report questionnaire developed to assess global relationship satisfaction. Developed by Susan S. Hendrick in 1988 and now widely used in both clinical and research settings, the RAS is designed to measure general relationship satisfaction across various types of romantic partnerships.

The RAS has been validated across diverse populations, including married couples, dating couples, cohabiting partners, and individuals involved in various intimate relationships. While the RAS is not intended as a diagnostic instrument, it serves as an effective screening and monitoring tool to measure and understand fluctuations in relationship satisfaction over time.

This article explores the key features, psychometric strengths, and practical applications of the RAS, offering valuable insights for providers looking to implement the scale in practice.

About the RAS

The RAS is a reliable and efficient tool to uncover how satisfied individuals feel in their romantic relationships. Rooted in extensive research on relationship quality and psychometric principles, it captures the overall sense of satisfaction that individuals experience in their current romantic relationships.

In an initial psychometric evaluation of the RAS , it was found to have a high internal consistency, and strong, consistent correlations with related constructs like love and self-esteem (Hendrick, 1988). The study also confirms that it effectively captures a unidimensional construct of relationship satisfaction, and remains consistent across different samples, including married couples, dating couples, and cohabiting partners, highlighting its versatility (Hendrick, 1988).

The RAS shows a very high correlation with other validated measures such as the Couples Satisfaction Index (CSI) and the Dyadic Adjustment Scale (DAS), a widely respected measure of relationship satisfaction. While the DAS offers a more comprehensive assessment with 32 items, and the CSI has additional flexibility with assessment length, the RAS provides a brief measure of global relationship satisfaction, which supports ongoing use and engagement throughout care. By leveraging a brief measure like the RAS throughout treatment, clinicians can better monitor changes in relationships satisfaction throughout care, leveraging results to collaboratively inform treatment discussions and goals.

The RAS features 7 questions and uses a 5-point Likert scale, ranging from 1 (low satisfaction) to 5 (high satisfaction). Adaptations of the RAS are available to accommodate various relationship types and demographic characteristics.

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Who is the RAS For?

Review the list below to determine if this assessment can be used with your client. If you answer NO to the following questions, the RAS is likely a good fit to use with your client.

  1. Is your client currently single, meaning they are not involved in a romantic relationship, such as married, dating, or cohabiting?
  2. Is your client at risk of, or currently experiencing, intimate partner violence?

Note: In cases of intimate partner violence (IPV) or coercion, satisfaction scores may be misleading (someone may report “satisfaction” despite being unsafe).

The Relationship Assessment Scale

The RAS is a self-report questionnaire that can be filled out independently by clients before sessions or administered by a provider during sessions. It typically takes about 2 to 3 minutes to complete.

The scale uses a 5-point Likert format, where respondents rate how much they agree with each of the seven statements about their current relationship, with “1” indicating a low level of satisfaction and “5” reflecting a high level of satisfaction. Items 4 and 7 are reverse scored, meaning “1” indicates a higher level of satisfaction while a “5” indicates a low satisfaction level.

Individuals are encouraged to consider their overall feelings toward their relationship rather than focusing on isolated incidents or recent events. This approach helps capture a more stable and global measure of relationship satisfaction.

When introducing the RAS to clients, you might say, “To better understand your relationships satisfaction over time and what might influencing it, i’d like you to complete this brief questionnaire. I’ll have you complete it at regular intervals throughout care as a way to understand what’s working, what might need to change, and to set goals in treatment, so we both know we’re working towards what matters to you. When completing it, try to think about your relationship as a whole, rather than specific, isolated incidents or recent events. Your responses will help us decide together what areas we want to focus our discussion on.”

1. How often does your partner meet your needs?
2. In general, how satisfied are you with your relationship?
3. How good is your relationship compared to most?
4. How often do you wish you hadn’t gotten in this relationship?
5. To what extent has your relationship met your original expectations?
6. How much do you love your partner?
7. How many problems are there in your relationship?

View the complete RAS questionnaire with scoring.

Scoring the RAS

Each question of the RAS is scored from 1 to 5. Summing up the responses to all seven items results in a total score ranging from 7 to 35. Remember that items 4 and 7 are reverse scored, meaning that if “1” was indicated for item 4, it would be assigned a score of 5, and vice versa.

Higher scores indicate greater relationship satisfaction, while scores below 15 may suggest low relationship satisfaction, signalling the need for further assessment or intervention.

Score Level of Relationship Satisfaction
7 – 14 Low satisfaction
15 – 21 Average satisfaction
22 – 35 High satisfaction

While the RAS does not provide diagnostic cutoffs, it serves as an effective screening tool to assess relationship satisfaction and inform clinical discussions. Administering the scale routinely is recommended to track changes in relationship satisfaction over time, helping clinicians evaluate treatment progress and identify periods of low or high satisfaction that may require adjustments to treatment and support.

References

Adamczyk, K., Kleka, P., & Frydrychowicz, M. (2022). Psychometric functioning, measurement invariance, and external associations of the Relationship Assessment Scale in a sample of Polish Adults. Scientific reports, 12(1), 22157. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-26653-6
Dicke, A., & Hendrick, C. (1998). The relationship assessment scale. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 15, 137-142.
Hendrick, S. S. (1988). A generic measure of relationship satisfaction. Journal of Marriage and Family, 50, 93-98.
Vaughn, M. J., & Baier, M. E. M. (1999). Reliability and validity of the relationship assessment scale. American Journal of Family Therapy, 27, 137-147.

Frequently Asked Questions
What is the RAS?

The Relationship Assessment Scale (RAS) is a 7-item self-report questionnaire designed to measure general relationship satisfaction across various types of dynamics. It can be used throughout therapy to measure changes over time and effectively inform clinical discussions and decision making.

How should the RAS be introduced and administered to clients?

When introducing the RAS to clients, it’s important that clients understand the value of this assessment prior to being asked to complete it. Making the process of measurement valuable to clients is the best way to deepen their engagement in treatment and improve therapeutic alliance and clinical outcomes. Present the RAS as a brief tool designed to help understand their relationship satisfaction and track changes over time.

For inspiration, here is an example of how you might introduce the RAS to clients: “To better understand your relationships satisfaction over time and what might influencing it, i’d like you to complete this brief questionnaire. I’ll have you complete it at regular intervals throughout care as a way to understand what’s working, what might need to change, and to set goals in treatment, so we both know we’re working towards what matters to you. When completing it, try to think about your relationship as a whole, rather than specific, isolated incidents or recent events. Your responses will help us decide together what areas we want to focus our discussion on.”

What does the RAS measure?

The RAS is a global measure of relationship satisfaction, designed to measure how satisfied an individual feels in their romantic relationship.

Can the RAS be used in couples therapy?

Yes, the RAS can be used in couples therapy, to measure each person’s satisfaction in the relationship. The results of the assessment can be used to inform discussions and dive deeper into some of the items that the couple agree/disagree on. The assessment can be administered at consistent intervals to assess progress and monitor the couple’s individual relationship satisfaction levels throughout the course of therapy.

What does a “low score” on the RAS mean?

Each question of the RAS is scored from 1 to 5. Summing up the responses to all seven items results in a total score ranging from 7 to 35.

A low score on the RAS would be a score ranging from 7 to 14, indicating a low level of satisfaction in the relationship. A low score can signal for additional support, inform treatment decisions and guide discussions to identify why a person is dissatisfied in their relationship.

What are the benefits of using the RAS in couples treatment, and are there special considerations?

The RAS offers a quick, reliable assessment of overall relationship satisfaction that can guide treatment planning and monitor progress. In couples treatment, the RAS can be used to assess each person’s level of satisfaction in the relationship. This can guide the discussion during sessions to focus on each individual’s feelings around satisfaction and why they feel satisfied/dissatisfied in the relationship.

When interpreting results, clinicians should consider cultural factors, relationship stage, and demographic characteristics to ensure accurate understanding of the scores.

Can the RAS detect specific problems (e.g., communication issues, sexual dissatisfaction)?

The RAS is a global satisfaction measure, and therefore does not cover specific problems like communications issues, sexual dissatisfaction, or stress. The result of the RAS is a single, overall satisfaction score that does not inform why a person is satisfied or dissatisfied in their relationship. Instead, the result of the assessment is used to inform discussions during treatment, to uncover the specific reasons and problems that led to their scores for each item.

What if partners’ scores on the RAS are very different?

Differences in partners’ scores on the RAS can often be clinically meaningful in themselves! This is a great opportunity for clinicians to explore these differences and uncover why they might occur. If there are differences in any scores, you can address them and discuss what the differences might indicate or how each individual interpreted the question, giving each the opportunity to articulate their individual experiences and explore the specifics that led to their respective scores for each item in the questionnaire.

When and how should changes in RAS scores be addressed?

It is recommended that assessment results are discussed during the next session, often right at the beginning, exploring factors that may contribute to score changes and relationship satisfaction. Discussing RAS score changes and assessment insights at the start of treatment can help ground the session, informing treatment adjustments and providing deeper insight into relationship dynamics.

How often should the RAS be administered?

Research shows that when clients complete ongoing measures at regular intervals throughout care, it leads to better treatment outcomes, especially when those measures are discussed in session and used to guide clinical decisions.

It is recommended that assessments, like the RAS, are administered before or at the beginning of each session, to effectively collect and analyze continuous data, and ensure that assessment results and client feedback can meaningfully inform clinical discussions and guide treatment decisions.

Has the RAS been validated across cultures?

While originally created in the US, the RAS has been validated across various countries and cultures, showing invariance across three different countries (Adamczyk et al., 2022).

How does the RAS compare to other measures (e.g., DAS, CSI)?

The RAS shows a very high correlation with other validated measures such as the Couples Satisfaction Index (CSI) and the Dyadic Adjustment Scale (DAS). All of these measures are self-report measures that assess relationship quality/satisfaction. The DAS offers a more comprehensive assessment with 32 items, and the CSI has additional flexibility with assessment lengths of 4, 16, and 32 items. The RAS provides a brief measure of global relationship satisfaction with only 7 items, making it an efficient choice when administering at consistent levels to gauge overall relationship satisfaction levels.

Can the RAS be used with same-sex couples?

The RAS can absolutely be used with same-sex couples, and administered in the same way as other couples treatments. The RAS is not gender-specific. Both partners can complete the self-report measure to get a score of overall relationship satisfaction. The results of the assessment can be used to meaningfully inform discussions and treatment.

What cutoff score indicates “relationship distress”?

Summing the responses to each item on the RAS results in a total score ranging from 7 to 35. While there is no exact cutoff score that indicates relationship distress, a score lower than 21 indicates a low to average level of relationship satisfaction, and a score lower than 14 indicates a low satisfaction level. Individuals with a low or average level of relationship satisfaction may consider couples counseling to address their responses.

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