Relationship Power Test (RPI)

The Relationship Power Inventory: Overall Version (RPI) was developed by researchers Allison K. Farrell, Jeffry A. Simpson, and Alexander J. Rothman in 2015 to measure how much power a person perceives they have relative to a romantic partner. Relationship decisions are rarely made in exactly the same way every time. Partners may discuss daily routines, money, future plans, and disagreements differently. The RPI gives researchers a structured way to ask about who tends to influence the conversation and who tends to shape its outcome. It captures the respondent's perspective on those patterns, rather than an objective account of both partners' experiences. It focuses on perceived agency in shared decisions.

The inventory examines two central mechanisms of interpersonal influence: outcome power and process power. Outcome power centers on who ultimately determines the final resolution of a choice, such as making substantial financial commitments, settling major disagreements, or choosing where to live. Process power, on the other hand, involves who initiates conversations, defines the agenda, and steers how discussions and negotiations unfold over time. The Overall Version of the RPI synthesizes items from both dimensions to yield a single, unified relative power score that reflects who generally holds greater influence across a broad spectrum of relationship decisions, whether addressing daily habits or significant long-term plans.

A score near the midpoint reflects a respondent's perception of relatively balanced influence in their relationship. Scores leaning above or below the midpoint describe relative perceived influence. Higher scores suggest you see yourself as having more say and conversational control, whereas lower scores suggest you see your partner as guiding more of the decision-making process. This inventory is descriptive rather than evaluative; having more or less perceived power is not inherently positive or negative. Couples may divide decisions by preference, experience, practical knowledge, or convenience, and a single score cannot show whether both partners consider that arrangement fair.

Relationship power can differ across topics and life stages. One partner might lead on household plans while the other tends to guide social decisions, for example. The Overall RPI deliberately asks about the relationship in general, so it cannot show which partner has more influence in every separate domain. It also records only the respondent's perception. This test specifically measures decision-making influence and should not be confused with measures of relationship satisfaction, attachment security, emotional safety, romantic compatibility, or abusive behavior. A score cannot establish how a partner would answer, whether either person acts coercively, or how healthy the relationship is.

Population comparison markers shown on the results chart are illustrative AI estimates, not measured means from a representative population and not validated population percentiles or clinical norms. The original RPI used seven response options; this site uses its standard five-point agree/disagree scale, so the resulting score should not be treated as identical to a research raw score. This tool is for education and personal reflection. It is not a substitute for professional relationship counseling or a formal psychological evaluation. The assessment is based on the Overall Relationship Power Inventory and is an independent implementation, without affiliation with or endorsement by the original authors or their institution.

References

• FARRELL, A. K., SIMPSON, J. A., & ROTHMAN, A. J. (2015). The relationship power inventory: Development and validation. Personal Relationships, 22(3), 387-413.

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