Relationship Information

Relationship Information: Introduction

What are Relationship Resources?

Relationship resources refer to anything available to you that provides support for your
intimate relationship. Relationship resources can be found in many areas of your life, and they
include personal, relational, and contextual resources. Personal resources are those that are
found primarily within an individual, relational resources are those that are shared by both
partners within a relationship, and contextual resources exist in the social context surrounding
a couple.

Dr. Christine Murray, the founder of the Relationship Resource Network, developed an on-line
instrument that assesses the levels of resources available to support individuals in their
relationships from various personal, relational, and contextual resources. This instrument,
called the Couples Resource Map Scales, is available free of charge at the following web-site
address: www.couplesresourcemap.org.

Previous research done on the Couples Resource Map Scales suggests that a greater
availability of relationship resources is related to higher levels of relationship satisfaction.
Although it is not possible to determine cause and effect at the present time, those findings
suggest that you may be able to help your relationship to become more satisfying by
developing more resources to support your relationship. Having a wider range of resources at
your disposal can also help to equip you to manage any challenges you may face within your
relationship—every additional resource you have could contain multiple potential solutions to
problems that arise.

This Relationship Information section provides two types of information.

First, you will find some background information related to a number of specific personal,
relational, and contextual relationship resources, including five strategies that you can use to
increase your support from each resource. (Over 100 strategies for developing relationship
resources are included on this web-site!)

Go To Information About Types of Relationship Resources

Second, we have scoured the web to identify a number of on-line resources related to some
common situations that couples face—including life cycle transitions like getting married or
becoming parents, as well as specific relationship challenges like violence or sexuality
concerns.

Go To Information About On-Line Resources for Specific Relationship Issues