When assessed, the subjects did not necessarily fall into one group, although a few did.  Instead, most would score high in two, with a smaller group straddling three of the categories.

The assessment was of some help in my knowing how to relate to my counselees. However, in the early 1980s, I had an epiphany.  I counseled two women back to back.  Both were high scorers in pleasing, yet one was aggressive, saying in effect, "I'm going to please you regardless of what you might want."  The other was more passive, with her behaviors saying, "I'm willing to put myself second so that you get what you want."  I added aggressive and passive to interact with each of the other four categories, giving six cells of data. 

These two additions gave the test much more depth.  Later, taking a cue from the Personal Profile test, I divided aggressive and passive into two categories each, creating a design of sixteen cells, the new four interacting with the original four.  Later, I developed two versions of the test: the social version and the work version.

In the mid-1980's I purchased a statistical program for my computer.  Data computations that took hours with a calculator now could yield answers in minutes.  The data revealed four sets of negatively correlated pairs.  I changed the names to suggest opposite ends of a continuum, Attaching vs. Detaching, Leading vs. Relying, Competing vs. Harmonizing, and Expressing vs. Thinking.  At this point, some of my colleagues asked to use the test.  Before I was willing to share the test, I ran reliability statistics.

In the late 1980s I put the test on the computer and changed the name to the Baugh Relationship Index {BRI}.  In the early 1990's I began giving workshops on the BRI.   After more recent improvements, the BRI is now on the Internet for my professional users, but not for the public.  However, the professional can email the BRI to a test-taker and will receive the scored results and interpretation on their individual website.  The Work Version gives a 13- to 16- page interpretation, and the Social Version yields a 17- to 20- page interpretation.  When a couple takes the Social Version, their BRIs are integrated and include a compatibility section.  The interpretation also includes: Relationship Style, Individual Scores, Core Personality Elements, Relationship Disrupters, Behavior Styles, Relationship Maturity, and Relationship Satisfiers.

The early use of the BRI was diagnostic, assessing various aspects of relationships.  Now, it is more frequently used as an instrument of changing relationship characteristics that do not serve the client well.  The work version is still used diagnostically in business settings (such as FedEx), and in assessing candidates for the clergy.  The work version is also used by Vanderbilt and the University of South Florida Medical Schools to change problem behaviors of physicians who have lost their licenses.  All of the problem behaviors pointed out on the BRI are followed by prescriptive change suggestions. 

If you have comments or questions, feel free to contact me at jbaugh2525@aol.com or visit my website www.drjrbaugh.com.