Parenting and Family Adjustment Scales (PAFAS): validation of a brief parent-report measure for use in assessment of parenting skills and family relationships.

This study examined the psychometric characteristics of the Parent and Family Adjustment Scales (PAFAS). The PAFAS was designed as a brief outcome measure for assessing changes in parenting practices and parental adjustment in the evaluation of both public health and individual or group parenting interventions. The inventory consists of the Parenting scale measuring parenting practices and quality of parent-child relationship and of the Family Adjustment scale measuring parental emotional adjustment and partner and family support in parenting. Two studies were conducted to validate the inventory. A sample of 370 parents participated in Study 1 and a sample of 771 parents participated in Study 2. Children's ages ranged from 2 to 12 years old. In Study 1 confirmatory factor analysis supported an 18-item, four factor model of PAFAS Parenting, and a 12-item, three factor model of PAFAS Family Adjustment. Psychometric evaluation of the PAFAS revealed that the scales had good internal consistency, as well as satisfactory construct and predictive validity. In Study 2 confirmatory factor analysis supported stability of the factor structures of PAFAS Parenting and PAFAS Family Adjustment revealed in Study 1. Potential uses of the measure and implications for future validation studies are discussed.