Description

The Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI) is a self-report questionnaire developed by Parker, Tupling, and Brown in 1979. It measures perceptions of parental behavior and its effect on a child’s development, focusing on two key dimensions: care and overprotection (or control). The instrument has 25 items, and it has been widely used in research on attachment, parental bonding, and mental health outcomes.

Purpose of the PBI-25

The PBI-25 assesses how individuals perceive their parents’ behavior toward them during their first 16 years of life. It is often used in clinical and research settings to evaluate the potential impact of parental bonding on emotional and psychological well-being, as well as in studies related to attachment theory, developmental psychology, and psychopathology.

The two dimensions of the PBI are as follows:

Care Dimension: This dimension measures parental warmth, affection, and empathy versus emotional coldness and neglect. High scores in this domain indicate a nurturing and supportive parental relationship, while low scores indicate emotional detachment.

Overprotection Dimension: This dimension captures parental control, overprotection, and intrusiveness versus encouraging autonomy and independence. High scores reflect excessive protection and control, while low scores suggest a more permissive or encouraging parenting style.

Application of PBI-25 in Data Analysis

Data Collection and Scoring:

Each of the 25 items is rated on a 4-point Likert scale, ranging from 0 (“very unlike”) to 3 (“very like”).

The instrument consists of two subscales: “Care” and “Overprotection,” with 12 items related to care and 13 items to overprotection.

Scores are summed for each subscale, providing separate scores for maternal and paternal bonding (i.e., the instrument can be completed for both parents).

Statistical Techniques for Analysis:

Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA): Often used to confirm the two-factor structure of the PBI in different cultural or population samples.

Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA): Used to validate the proposed structure of the PBI across different groups.

Reliability Analysis: Cronbach’s alpha is used to assess the internal consistency of the PBI subscales.

Correlational Analysis: Examines the relationship between PBI scores and other variables, such as mental health outcomes (e.g., depression, anxiety), attachment styles, or personality traits.

Regression Analysis: This is used to predict outcomes (e.g., mental health symptoms) based on parental bonding scores.

Interpretation of Scores:

High Care, Low Overprotection: Indicates a healthy parental bonding experience, where the individual perceives warmth and supportive autonomy from their parent(s).

Low Care, High Overprotection: Associated with a negative parenting style, where the individual perceives coldness and excessive control from their parent(s). This combination has been linked to higher risks of psychopathology, such as depression or anxiety disorders.

Low Care, Low Overprotection: Suggests neglectful parenting, with low emotional warmth and minimal involvement in the child’s development.

High Care, High Overprotection: Reflects a combination of nurturing and over-involved parenting, which may also be linked to developmental challenges.

Calibration

Calibration refers to adjusting the measurement tool to fit different populations or settings. This may include:

Cultural Adaptations: Adapting language or adjusting the interpretation of care and overprotection in different cultural contexts.

Psychometric Testing: Ensuring that the instrument maintains reliability and validity in diverse groups, such as across gender, age groups, or different cultural backgrounds.

Cutoff Scores: Establishing specific thresholds for “high” or “low” scores on care and overprotection scales based on population norms or clinical needs.

Bibliography

Parker, G., Tupling, H., & Brown, L. B. (1979). A Parental Bonding Instrument. British Journal of Medical Psychology, 52(1), 1-10.

This foundational study introduces the PBI and describes its development, structure, and early psychometric validation.

Wilhelm, K., & Parker, G. (1990). Reliability of the Parental Bonding Instrument and Intimate Bond Measure scales. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 24(2), 199-202.

This paper evaluates the reliability of the PBI and its implications for research on intimate relationships and mental health.

Murphy, E., Brewin, C. R., & Silka, L. (1997). Parental Bonding Instrument Scores in Depressed and Non-Depressed Older Adults: A Comparative Study. Personality and Individual Differences, 22(4), 687-694.

This research focuses on how PBI scores differentiate between older adults with and without depression, adding to the clinical relevance of the instrument.

Manassis, K., Owens, M., Adam, K. S., West, M., & Sheldon-Keller, A. (1999). Assessing attachment: Convergent validity of the Adult Attachment Interview and the Parental Bonding Instrument. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 33(4), 559-567.

A study comparing PBI scores with other attachment measures, further validating the tool’s utility in attachment research.

Wilhelm, K., Niven, H., Parker, G., & Hadzi-Pavlovic, D. (2005). The Stability of the Parental Bonding Instrument Over a 20-Year Period. Psychological Medicine, 35(3), 387-393.

This longitudinal study evaluates the consistency of PBI scores over time, highlighting its relevance in long-term developmental research.