Researchers at the University of Granada, in collaboration with other universities, have adapted and validated in Spanish the Perceived Responsiveness and Insensitivity Scale (PRIS-SA), a tool that measures the degree to which a person feels understood, validated and cared for by their partner
This Friday, February 14th, is Valentine’s Day, the Day of Lovers
A greater perception of response from one’s partner is associated with health benefits
Feeling supported and listened to by our partner improves physical and emotional health, according to a study carried out by researchers from the Center for Mind, Brain and Behavior Research (CIMCYC) at the University of Granada (UGR), the results of which have been released on the eve of February 14th, Valentine’s Day.
As Inmaculada Valor Segura, a researcher in the Department of Social Psychology at the University of Granada and one of the authors of the study, explains, the quality of our relationships not only affects our satisfaction and emotional stability, but also has a significant impact on our general health and well-being. “Feeling understood, validated and cared for by one’s partner is a fundamental pillar of a healthy relationship, and the perception that our partner responds to our emotional needs influences long-term intimacy and stability.”
Despite the growing evidence of the importance of this aspect of life as a couple, until now there has been no validated tool in Spanish to measure it. To fill this gap, the team of researchers from CIMCYC, in collaboration with the University of Almería and the University of Texas at Austin (United States), has adapted and validated the Perceived Responsiveness and Insensitivity Scale (PRIS) in Spanish. This tool, called PRIS-SA (Spanish Adaptation), makes it possible to evaluate the degree to which a person feels understood, validated and cared for by their partner.
The study that details this work has been published in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships.
The importance of perceived responsiveness in the couple
In the field of relationship psychology, the concept of Perceived Partner Responsiveness (PPR) has established itself as a key factor in individual and relational well-being. It is defined as the process by which a person feels that their partner attends to and reacts in a supportive and understanding way to their essential needs and characteristics. A growing body of scientific literature has shown that PPR influences both individual well-being and the functioning of the relationship.
Previous research has found that a greater perception of responsiveness from one’s partner is associated with significant personal benefits, such as greater emotional well-being, greater life satisfaction and better sleep quality. Furthermore, it has been linked to healthier hormonal activity, reduced levels of anxiety and depressive symptoms, and even a lower risk of mortality.
On the other hand, PPR also predicts the quality and stability of couple relationships. From the earliest moments of a relationship, a high perception of responsiveness fosters the desire to establish a deeper connection, promoting trust and mutual commitment. In the long term, it becomes a protective factor that facilitates communication and conflict resolution. Previous research has shown that a greater perception of the partner’s responsiveness is associated with pro-relationship behaviors such as gratitude, forgiveness, and social support, as well as with greater relationship satisfaction and a better quality of the affective bond.
On the contrary, those who perceive higher levels of insensitivity in their partner tend to experience ineffective conflict resolution strategies and anxious or avoidant attachment orientations.
A breakthrough for research and therapy in Spanish couples
This paper presents two versions of the PRIS-SA: a full version of 16 items, and a reduced version of 8 items, for shorter applications. Using a sample of 493 Spanish people, the results show that the scale (a) has adequate reliability and maintains the original structure in English, (b) shows gender invariance and (c) is significantly associated with other indicators of relationship quality, such as partner satisfaction, conflict resolution strategies and attachment styles.
The adaptation of this tool represents a major advance for the psychology of relationships in the Spanish context, where studies have traditionally depended on scales developed in English. Having a validated instrument in Spanish will make it possible to expand research in different countries and explore how the responsiveness of the couple can affect emotional health, relationship stability and other aspects of individual and relational well-being.
In addition to its impact on research, the PRIS-SA also has practical applications in the clinical setting. Psychologists and therapists will be able to use it to evaluate the quality of communication and emotional support in couples, helping to identify areas for improvement in the relationship and design more effective interventions to strengthen emotional bonds.
“In short, this study not only fills a methodological gap in research on couple relationships in the Spanish context, but also offers a new tool to improve the understanding and well-being of couples in everyday life,” concludes Valor.