Relationship with Family of Origin Scale (REFAMOS). Interrater reliability and associations with childhood experiences.
BACKGROUND
Family relationships in the transition from childhood to adult life may be important mediators of risk and resilience for adult psychopathology.


OBJECTIVE
To develop a reliable and valid measure of the quality of relationships with each parent in young adults.


METHODS
Interrater reliability of the Relationship with Family of Origin Scale (REFAMOS) was assessed from audio-taped interviews with 59 subjects. Age-related trends and associations with recalled childhood relationships were examined in survivors of childhood cancer and their controls (n = 178).


RESULTS
Intraclass correlation coefficients were in the range 0.69-0.95, and kappa values 0.80-0.82. Indices of current closeness to mothers were negatively correlated with age of subject and positively correlated with recalled maternal care in childhood. Negative qualities in current relationships were correlated with recalled overprotection.


CONCLUSIONS
The REFAMOS has good interrater reliability, and shows the predicted age-related trends in scores and associations with recalled childhood relationships.
Hill
J
J
Department of Psychiatry, University of Liverpool.
Mackie
E
E
Banner
L
L
Kondryn
H
H
Blair
V
V
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008568:Memory; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012307:Risk Factors; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity