With a Little Flak From My Friends: Development and Preliminary Validation of the Test of Negative Social Exchange (TENSE)

While acknowledging the potential significance of negative interpersonal transactions for psychological functioning, researchers have only recently turned their attention to assessment. To date, investigators have relied on single-item measures or incompletely developed unidimensional scales. This article describes the construction and preliminary validation of the Test of Negative Social Exchange (TENSE) on the basis of 2 independent samples (N = 878). An exploratory factor analysis in Study 1 revealed 4 subscales: Hostility/Impatience, Insensitivity, Interference, and Ridicule. A 4-factor model was confirmed using LISREL analysis in Study 2. The TENSE subscales were found to possess good test-retest reliability, internal consistency, and convergent and discriminant validity. Scores on the TENSE predicted satisfaction with life, depression, and anxiety. Finally, evidence emerged concerning the relative independence of negative social exchange and social support.