Abstract

This study aimed to develop and validate a scale measuring conflict coping behaviors in romantic relationships. An open-ended survey was conducted with 100 individuals in their 20s and 30s who had been in a romantic relationship for at least three months, yielding 269 statements. Prototype analysis and two rounds of expert content validation resulted in a 75-item preliminary scale. Exploratory structural equation modeling with 300 participants identified a final scale consisting of 32 items across six factors: positive repair, distancing, careful consideration, submission, rational coping, and expression of negativity. Especially, positive repair was interpreted as a proactive investment behavior for maintaining the relationship from the perspective of interdependence theory, whereas careful consideration reflected a cautious coping process involving both cognitive reflection and emotional processing that has not been sufficiently captured in existing scales. Each factor showed theoretically consistent correlations with existing conflict-related scales, empathy, communication, and personality traits. Criterion-related and incremental validity were supported using relationship satisfaction and stability as the criteria. A four-week test-retest reliability was also satisfactory. This study is meaningful in that it presents a Korean scale of conflict coping in romantic relationships that complements the cultural limitations of existing overseas measures and reflects contemporary communication contexts, including messenger and SNS interactions.