Development of the Couples Resource Scales

Couples therapy has experienced a shift in therapeutic approaches from those that focus on dysfunction and deficits to postmodern approaches that emphasize clients’ strengths and skills. Additionally, researchers have found that resources, such as self-esteem and social support, serve to enhance couples’ relationships. One therapeutic approach that emphasizes strengths and resources is solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT). The authors describe the development of a research-oriented instrument grounded in SFBT, the Couples Resource scales (CRS), which was based on an existing practitioner-oriented instrument, called the Couples Resource Map scales. The authors used an exploratory factor analysis on the CRS to create a revised version that shows utility for empirical research.