We examined the psychometric properties of a German translation of the Child Global Report version of the Alabama Parenting Questionnaire (APQ). A total of 1219 German school-children (644 boys and 575 girls), ages 10–14 years participated in the study. The APQ was subjected to exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. Exploratory factor analysis produced five factors that were largely consistent with the a priori scale structure. These factors included dimensions of parental involvement, positive parenting, poor monitoring/supervision, inconsistent discipline, and corporal punishment. Fit indexes from confirmatory factor analyses suggested that the five factor model represented a satisfactory solution for the data, with some minor modifications in scale content. These findings provide initial support for the factorial validity of the child report version of the APQ in German families.
Similar content being viewed by others
REFERENCES
Akaike, H. (1987). Factor analysis and AIC. Psychometrika, 52, 317–332.
American Psychiatric Association (1994). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th Ed.; DSM-IV). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association.
Arbuckle, J. L. (2003). Amos Version 5.0. Chicago: Small Waters.
August, G. J., Lee, S. S., Bloomquist, M. L., Realmuto, G. M., & Hektner, J. M. (2003). Dissemination of an evidence-based prevention innovation for aggressive children living in culturally diverse, urban neighborhoods: The early risers effectiveness study. Prevention Science, 4, 271–286.
Blader, J. C. (2004). Symptom, family, and service predictors of children's psychiatric rehospitalization within one year of discharge. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 43, 440–451.
Brislin, R. W. (1970). Back translation for cross-cultural research. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 1, 185–216.
Browne, M. W., & Cudeck, R. (1993). Alternative ways of assessing model fit. In K. A. Bollen & J. S. Long (Eds.), Testing structural equation models (pp. 136–162). New York: Sage Publications.
Brubaker, R. G., & Szakowski, A. (2000). Parenting practices and behavior problems among deaf children. Child and Family Behavior Therapy, 22, 13–28.
Capaldi, D. M., & Patterson, G. R. (1994). Interrelated influences of contextual factors on antisocial behavior in childhood and adolescence for males. In D. C. Fowles, P. Sutker, & S. H. Goodman (Eds.), Progress in experimental personality and psychopathology research (pp. 165–198). New York: Springer.
Chi, T. C., & Hinshaw, S. P. (2002). Mother-child relationships of children with ADHD: the role of maternal depressive symptoms and depression-related distortions. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 30, 387–400.
Colder, C. R., Lochman, J. E., & Wells, K. C. (1997). The moderating effects of children's fear and activity level on relations between parenting practices and childhood symptomatology. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 25, 251–263.
Dadds, M. R. (1995). Families, children, and the development of dysfunction. New York: Sage.
Dadds, M. R., Maujean, A., & Fraser, J. A. (2003). Parenting and conduct problems in children: Australian data and psychometric properties of the Alabama Parenting Questionnaire. Australian Psychologist, 38, 238–241.
Darling, N., & Steinberg, L. (1993). Parenting style as context: An integrative model. Psychological Bulletin, 113, 487–496.
Dishion, T. J., Patterson, G. R., Stoolmiller, M., & Skinner, M. L. (1991). Family, school, and behavioral antecedents to early adolescent involvement with antisocial peers. Developmental Psychology, 27, 172–180.
Epstein, N. B., Baldwin, L. M., & Bishop, D. S. (1983). The McMaster Family Assessment Device. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 9, 171–180.
Essau, C. A. (2000). Angst und Depression bei Jugendlichen (Anxiety and depression in adolescents). Habilitationschrift (Thesis for a post-doctoral degree). Bremen: University of Bremen.
Essau, C. A., Groen, G., Conradt, J., Turbanisch, U., & Petermann, F. (1999). Häufigkeit, Komorbidität und psychosoziale Korrelate der Aufmerksamkeitsdefizit-/Hyperaktivitätsstörung: Ergebnisse der Bremer Jugendstudie. Fortschritte der Neurologie und Psychiatrie, 67, 296–305.
Feinfield, K. A., & Baker, B. L. (2004). Empirical support for a treatment program for families of young children with externalizing problems. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 33, 182–195.
Forehand, R., & McMahon, R. J. (1981). Helping the non-compliant child: A clinician's guide to parent training. New York: Guilford.
Frick, P. J. (1994). Family dysfunction and the disruptive behavior disorders: A review of recent empirical findings. In T. H. Ollendick & R. J. Prinz (Eds.), Advances in Clinical Child Psychology (Vol. 16, pp. 203–226). New York: Plenum.
Frick, P. J. (1991). The Alabama Parenting Questionnaire. Unpublished rating scale, University of Alabama.
Frick, P. J., Christian, R. C., & Wootton, J. M. (1999). Age trends in the association between parenting practices and conduct problems. Behavior Modification, 23, 106–128.
Frick, P. J., & Jackson, Y. K. (1993). Family functioning and childhood antisocial behaviour: Yet another reinterpretation. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 22, 410–419.
Frick, P. J., Kimonis, E. R., Dandreaux, D. M., & Farell, J. M. (2003). The 4 year stability of psychopathic traits in non-referred youth. Behavioral Sciences and the Law, 21, 713–736.
Frick, P. J., Lahey, B. B., Loeber, R., Stouthamer-Loeber, M., Christ, M. A. G., & Hanson, K. (1992). Familial risk factors to oppositional defiant disorder and conduct disorder: Parental psychopathology and maternal parenting. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 60, 49–55.
Jöreskog, K. G., & Sörbom, D. (1989). LISREL 7: A guide to the program and applications (2nd ed.). Chicago: SPSS.
Hinshaw, S. P. (2002). Preadolescent girls with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: I. Background characteristics, comorbidity, cognitive and social functioning, and parenting practices. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 70, 1086–1098.
Hinshaw, S. P., Owens, E. B., Wells, K. C., Kraemer, H. C., Abikoff, H. B., Arnold, L. E., Conners, C. K., Elliot, G. Greenhill, L. L., Hechtman, L., Hoza, B., Jensen, P. S., March, J. S., Newcorn, J. H., Pelham, W. E., Swanson, J. M., Vitiello, B., & Wigal, T. (2000). Family processes and treatment outcome in the MTA: Negative/Ineffective parenting practices in relation to multimodal treatment. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 28, 555–568.
Kazdin, A. E. (1995). Conduct disorders in childhood and adolescence (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Keller, H. R. (1986). Behavioral observation approaches to personality assessment. In H. M. Knoff (Ed.), The assessment of child and adolescent personality (pp. 353–390). New York: Guilford.
Lahey, B. B., Loeber, R., Quay, H. C., Frick, P. J., & Grimm, J. (1997). Oppositional defiant disorder and conduct disorder. In T. A. Widiger, A. J. Frances, H. A. Pincus, R. Ross, M. B. First, & W. Davis (Eds.), DSM-IV Sourcebook (pp. 189–209). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association.
Lochman, J. E., & Wells, K. C. (2002). Contextual social-cognitive mediators and child outcome: A test of the theoretical model in the Coping Power program. Development and Psychopathology, 14, 945–967.
Loney, B. R., & Lima, E. N. (2003). Classification and Assessment. In C. A. Essau (Ed.), Conduct and oppositional defiant disorders: Epidemiology, risk factors, and treatment (pp. 3–32). Lawrence Erlbaum Associates: New Jersey.
Moos, R. H., & Moos, B. (1981). Family Environment Scale manual. Palo Alto, CA: Consulting Psychologists Press.
Oxford, M., Cavell, T. A., & Hughes, J. N. (2003). Callous/Unemotional traits moderate the relation between ineffective parenting and child externalizing problems: A partial replication and extension. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 32, 577–585.
Patterson, G. R. (1982). Coercive family process. Eugene, OR: Castalia.
Patterson, G. R., Reid, J. B., & Dishion, T. J. (1992). Antisocial boys. Eugene, OR: Castalia.
Petermann, F., Essau, C. A., Turbanisch, U., Conradt, J., & Groen, G. (1999). Komorbidität, Risikofaktoren und Verlauf aggressiven Verhaltens: Ergebnisse der Bremer Jugendstudie. Kindheit und Entwicklung, 8, 49–58.
Prevatt, F. F. (2003). The contribution of parenting practices in a risk and resiliency model of children's adjustment. British Journal of Developmental Psychology, 21, 469–480.
Prinz, R. J., & Jones, T. L. (2003). Family-based interventions. In C. A. Essau (Ed.), Conduct and oppositional defiant disorders: Epidemiology, risk factors, and treatment (pp. 279–298). Lawrence Erlbaum Associates: New Jersey.
Roberts, G. C., Block, J. H., & Block, J. (1984). Continuity and change in parents’ child-rearing practices. Child Development, 55, 586–597.
Trommsdorff, G., & Essau, C. A. (1999). Japanese and German adolescents’ control orientation: A cross-cultural study. In G. Trommsdorff, W. Friedlmeier & H.-J. Kornadt (Eds.), Japan in transition—A comparative view on social and psychological aspects (pp. 198–211). Lengerich: Pabst Science Publishers.
Schaerfer, E. S. (1965). Children's reports of parental behaviour: An inventory. Child Development, 36, 417–424.
Shelton, K. K., Frick, P. J., & Wootten, J. (1996). Assessment of parenting practices in families of elementary school-age children. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 25, 317–329.
Stanger, C., Dumenci, L., Kamon, J., & Burstein, M. (2004). Parenting and children's externalizing problems in substance-abusing families. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 33, 590–600.
Wasserman, G. A., Miller, L. S., Pinner, E., & Jaramillo, B. (1996). Parenting predictors of early conduct problems in urban, high-risk boys. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 35, 1227–1236.
Wells, K. L., Epstein, J. N., Hinshaw, S. P., Conners, C. K., Klaric, J., Abikoff, H. B., Abramoitz, A., Arnold, L. E., Elliot, G., Greenhill, L. L., Hechtman, L., Hoza, B., Jensen, P. S., March, J. S., Newcorn, J. H., Pelham, W. E., Pfiffner, L., Severe, J., Swanson, J. M., Vitiello, B., & Wigal, T. (2000). Parenting and family stress treatment outcomes in attention deficit hyperactivity (ADHD): An empirical analysis in the MTA study. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 28, 543–553.
Wootton, J. M., Frick, P. J., Shelton, K. K., & Silverthorn, P. (1997). Ineffective parenting and childhood conduct problems: The moderating role of callous-unemotional traits. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 65, 301–308.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Essau, C.A., Sasagawa, S. & Frick, P.J. Psychometric Properties of the Alabama Parenting Questionnaire. J Child Fam Stud 15, 595–614 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-006-9036-y
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-006-9036-y