The Brief Accessibility, Responsiveness, and Engagement (BARE) Scale: A Tool for Measuring Attachment Behavior in Couple Relationships

Abstract

This article describes the purpose, reliability, validity, and potential clinical applications of the brief accessibility, responsiveness, and engagement (BARE) scale. In addition to focusing on the central attachment behaviors of accessibility and responsiveness, this instrument highlights the key role of engagement in couple bonding. The BARE is a short, systemic, self-report measure of attachment behaviors in couple relationships. Both classical testing theory and item response theory were used to test the psychometric properties of the instrument. The BARE demonstrated appropriate reliability and validity while maintaining its brevity and potential usefulness for clinicians and researchers. The BARE also accurately predicted the key relationship outcomes of stability and satisfaction. The data for this study were collected from the RELATE assessment (see www.relate-institute.org).

Insecure Attachment Behavior and Partner Violence: Incorporating Couple Perceptions of Insecure Attachment and Relational Aggression

“…Items are scored such that higher scores indicate more insecure attachment behaviors. The measure has displayed good reliability (classical testing–Cronbach's α was between .66 and .85 on six subscales; test–retest was .60 to .75; item response theory was appropriate) (Sandberg et al., ). Additionally, previous tests of construct validity have indicated excellent model fit (with CFI and TLI above .95 and RMSEA below .05; Sandberg et al.).…”

The Role of Attachment Behaviors in the Link between Relationship Satisfaction and Depression in Clinical Couples: Implications for Clinical Practice

“…These three behaviors are measurable and are highly correlated with relationship outcomes and communication processes both within community (Sandberg et al., ) and clinical samples (Sandberg, Novak, Davis, & Busby, ). Attachment behaviors are more highly correlated with relationship satisfaction than attachment styles (Sandberg et al., ) and they can accurately predict and classify whether or not couples are distressed (Sandberg et al., ).…”

“…Despite these findings, it is unclear what specific behaviors—beyond attachment styles—influence secure attachment relationships and how they in turn influence depression. Attachment behaviors have been operationalized as specific behaviors that are associated with higher quality relationships (Sandberg, Busby, Johnson, & Yoshida, ), and specifically that couples in clinical samples exhibit lower attachment behaviors (Sandberg, Bradford, & Brown, ). Furthermore, recent literature has identified perceptions of partner's attachment behaviors (e.g., one partner's perception of the attachment behaviors displayed by his/her partner) as a stronger correlate with marital satisfaction than one's own attachment behaviors (Bradford et al., ).…”

Differentiating Between Attachment Styles and Behaviors and their Association with Marital Quality

“…This suggests attachment‐related behaviors, such as accessibility, responsiveness, and engagement, influence our internal working models over time, and thus influence styles. In the one known published study to use a measure of attachment styles and attachment behaviors in the same study, styles and behaviors were correlated, but statistically distinct (Sandberg et al., ). Both may add uniquely to our understanding of this “inborn regulatory system” that is central to human behavior and the development of “emotional stability, mental health, and satisfying, close relationships” (Mikulincer & Shaver, , p. 28).…”