A Reliability and Validity Study of the Turkish Version of the Parenting Scale

Aim: This study was conducted for the purpose of determining the validity and reliability of the Parenting scale in a Turkish sample. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted as a methodological-descriptive-cross sectional study. The study sample consisted of 355 parents who had applied to Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Polyclinic of Uludag University. However; as 85 parents did not precisely fill the scales, they were excluded from the sample and the analyses were conducted on the basis of 270 parents. The study data were collected using the Demographic Data Collection Form and the Parenting scale. Validity analyses of the scale were examined via explanatory and confirmatory factor analysis. The internal consistency of the scale was evaluated via Cronbach alpha, Spearman-Brown and Guttman split-half coefficients. The relationship between item-total score and item-subscale total score was examined via Pearson correlation analysis. Results: The Cronbach alpha values of the Parenting scale were determined as; 0.935 in the lower dimension of Laxness, 0.916 in the lower dimension of Over-reactivity, 0.770 in the lower dimension of Hostility (use of verbal or physical force) and 0.829 in the total scale. The factor loads varied between; 0.52 and 0.98 in the lower dimension of Laxness, 0.75 and 0.92 in the lower dimension of Over-reactivity and 0.46 and 0.95 in the lower dimension of Hostility. It was determined that the total scale scores and correlations of items in the scale varied between 0.20-0.66. It was also determined that item-subscale total score correlations varied between; 0.61-0.96 in the lower dimension of Laxness, 0.70-0.86 in the lower dimension of Over-reactivity and 0.68-0.91 in the lower dimension of Hostility. Conclusion: The Parenting scale is a valid and reliable tool that can be used in Turkish culture.