Skip to main content
Log in

Psychometric Properties of the Alabama Parenting Questionnaire

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Journal of Child and Family Studies Aims and scope Submit manuscript

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.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

REFERENCES

  • Akaike, H. (1987). Factor analysis and AIC. Psychometrika, 52, 317–332.

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  • American Psychiatric Association (1994). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th Ed.; DSM-IV). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association.

    Google Scholar 

  • Arbuckle, J. L. (2003). Amos Version 5.0. Chicago: Small Waters.

    Google Scholar 

  • 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.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • 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.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brislin, R. W. (1970). Back translation for cross-cultural research. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 1, 185–216.

    Google Scholar 

  • 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.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brubaker, R. G., & Szakowski, A. (2000). Parenting practices and behavior problems among deaf children. Child and Family Behavior Therapy, 22, 13–28.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • 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.

    Google Scholar 

  • 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.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • 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.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dadds, M. R. (1995). Families, children, and the development of dysfunction. New York: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • 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.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Darling, N., & Steinberg, L. (1993). Parenting style as context: An integrative model. Psychological Bulletin, 113, 487–496.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • 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.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Epstein, N. B., Baldwin, L. M., & Bishop, D. S. (1983). The McMaster Family Assessment Device. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 9, 171–180.

    Google Scholar 

  • 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.

    Google Scholar 

  • 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.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • 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.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Forehand, R., & McMahon, R. J. (1981). Helping the non-compliant child: A clinician's guide to parent training. New York: Guilford.

    Google Scholar 

  • 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.

    Google Scholar 

  • Frick, P. J. (1991). The Alabama Parenting Questionnaire. Unpublished rating scale, University of Alabama.

    Google Scholar 

  • 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.

    Google Scholar 

  • Frick, P. J., & Jackson, Y. K. (1993). Family functioning and childhood antisocial behaviour: Yet another reinterpretation. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 22, 410–419.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • 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.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • 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.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Jöreskog, K. G., & Sörbom, D. (1989). LISREL 7: A guide to the program and applications (2nd ed.). Chicago: SPSS.

    Google Scholar 

  • 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.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • 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.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kazdin, A. E. (1995). Conduct disorders in childhood and adolescence (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • 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.

    Google Scholar 

  • 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.

    Google Scholar 

  • 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.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • 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.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moos, R. H., & Moos, B. (1981). Family Environment Scale manual. Palo Alto, CA: Consulting Psychologists Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • 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.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Patterson, G. R. (1982). Coercive family process. Eugene, OR: Castalia.

    Google Scholar 

  • Patterson, G. R., Reid, J. B., & Dishion, T. J. (1992). Antisocial boys. Eugene, OR: Castalia.

    Google Scholar 

  • 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.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • 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.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • 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.

    Google Scholar 

  • Roberts, G. C., Block, J. H., & Block, J. (1984). Continuity and change in parents’ child-rearing practices. Child Development, 55, 586–597.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • 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.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schaerfer, E. S. (1965). Children's reports of parental behaviour: An inventory. Child Development, 36, 417–424.

    Google Scholar 

  • 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.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • 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.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • 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.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • 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.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • 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.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Cecilia A. Essau Ph.D..

Rights and permissions

Reprints 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

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-006-9036-y

KEY WORDS:

Navigation