CONNECTED AND SEPARATE SELVES - DEVELOPMENT OF AN INVENTORY AND INITIAL VALIDATION

We describe the development and validation of the Relationship Self In ventory (RSI), which assesses 2 general self-orientations, (a) the Sep arate Self(SS) and (b) the Connected Self (CS), as well as two manifes tations of connection, (a) Primacy of Other Care and (b) Self and Othe r Care. The CS reflects the importance of interconnectedness with othe rs and a ''voice of caring,'' whereas the SS reflects autonomy, indepe ndence, and a ''voice of justice.'' Adequate reliability was demonstra ted for the RSI on samples consisting of 927 women and 218 men ranging in age from 26 to 78. Construct validity of the RSI was also explored in a subsample (n = 604) by comparing its scales with measures of per sonality, temperament, and psychological adjustment. Although mean sco res of men and women differed minimally on the CS and SS scales, gende r differences in patterns of correlation with validity measures sugges ted that the meanings of the scales differed for men and women. The RS I appears to be an adequate survey tool for assessing these self-orien tations.