title: Validation of a new self-report measure of parental attributions.
abstract: Attributional theory and empirical evidence suggest that a tendency to make stable, global self-causal attributions for undesirable events is associated with negative outcomes. However, existing self-report measures of parental attributions do not account for the possibility that dysfunctional parent-causal attributions for child misbehavior might be important predictors of poor family functioning. To address these concerns, the authors developed and tested a new measure of both parent-causal and child-responsible attributions for child misbehavior in a sample of 453 community couples. Structural validity, convergent validity, discriminant validity, internal consistency, and temporal stability of the new measure were examined. As expected, confirmatory factor analysis resulted in 2 factors, Child-Responsible (9 items) and Parent-Causal (7 items); the final model was cross-validated in a holdout sample. The final scale demonstrated adequate internal consistency (alphas = .81-.90), test-retest reliability (rs = .55-.76), and convergent and discriminant validity. Dysfunctional parent-causal and child-responsible attributions significantly predicted parental emotional problems, ineffective discipline, parent-child physical aggression, and low parenting satisfaction. Associations with parent-child aggression and parenting satisfaction were generally larger than with partner aggression and relationship satisfaction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Stony Brook University, State University of New York, Stony Brook, NY 11794-2500, USA. jsnarr@notes.cc.sunysb.edu
authors.forename: Jeffery D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Snarr
authors.forename: Amy M Smith
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Slep
authors.forename: Vincent P
authors.initials: VP
authors.lastname: Grande
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000374:Aggression / Q000523:psychology; D000786:Anger; D002652:Child Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003220:Conflict, Psychological; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005195:Family Relations; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008297:Male; D009518:New York; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D016487:Parenting / Q000523:psychology*; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012650:Self Disclosure; D012647:Self-Assessment