Parent Behavior Questionnaire and the Parent Behavior Frequency Questionnaire: Psychometric characteristics

Michelle Sanders, Pace University

Abstract

Parenting is an important task in which parental behaviors affect many child developmental outcomes. Parenting practices vary across cultures and societies. When clinicians consider the specifics of parenting, they often rely on information gleaned from clinical interviews, since there are few instruments which assess specific parenting behaviors and the frequency of those behaviors. This study examines the psychometric characteristics (e.g., test re-test reliability, internal consistency, part-whole reliability, odd-even reliability, subscale correlations) of two parenting measures developed by Mowder (2000): The Parent Behavior Questionnaire (PBQ) and the Parent Behavior Frequency Questionnaire (PBFQ). The PBQ is a 38 item self-report instrument which assesses the importance of specific parenting behaviors. The PBFQ is based on the PBQ and rather than asking for a behavior importance rating asks for a frequency rating. The participants in this study were 82 graduate students from an east coast university. The current study utilized various statistical analyses to examine the psychometric properties of the PBQ and the PBFQ. Pearson correlation coefficients were utilized to assess the test re-test reliability as well as the correlations among the six subscales, that is the six parent role characteristics (i.e., bonding, discipline, education, general welfare and protection, responsivity, sensitivity) of the PBQ and the PBFQ. Correlations were used to assess the part-whole correlations of these instruments. Cronbach's alpha was used to assess the internal consistency. Spearman-Brown reliability coefficients were utilized to assess the odd-even reliability or internal consistency of the PBQ and the PBFQ. Results indicate that the PBQ and the PBFQ are psychometrically reliable instruments to assess the perceived importance of specific parenting behaviors and the frequency of those behaviors. Results indicate that both instruments demonstrate adequate test re-test reliability and internal consistency. Results also indicate that the PBQ and the PBFQ demonstrate moderately positive to strongly positive part-whole reliability. Additionally, this study demonstrates that the PBQ is strongly correlated with the PBFQ. Results indicate that the six subscales (i.e., bonding, discipline, education, general welfare and protection, responsivity, sensitivity) demonstrate moderately positive correlations with one another. An important implication of this study is that the PBQ and the PBFQ provide psychometrically reliable data related to parenting behaviors. The PBQ and PBFQ may provide clinicians with qualitative and quantitative information about parenting behaviors, which may not be gained from other methods. Importantly, these instruments provide clinicians with a working framework for collaborating with parents regarding their children. Both the PBQ and the PBFQ provide information which operationalize parental behaviors. When behaviors are operationalized, issues related to parenting and facilitating child growth and development can be addressed, and communication between clinicians and parents enhanced.

Subject Area

Psychotherapy|Psychological tests

Recommended Citation

Sanders, Michelle, "Parent Behavior Questionnaire and the Parent Behavior Frequency Questionnaire: Psychometric characteristics" (2005). ETD Collection for Pace University. AAI3178763.
https://digitalcommons.pace.edu/dissertations/AAI3178763

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