Description of the Questionnaire

The McMaster Family Assessment Device (FAD) is a self-report questionnaire based on the McMaster Model of Family Functioning. It is designed to assess family functioning across seven core domains: problem solving, communication, roles, affective responsiveness, affective involvement, behavior control, and general functioning. The questionnaire consists of 60 statements, to which participants respond using a four-point Likert scale: 1 – Strongly Disagree, 2 – Disagree, 3 – Agree, 4 – Strongly Agree. It is suitable for adolescents and adults over the age of 12 and is widely used in both clinical and research settings.

Data Analysis and Use

The FAD evaluates seven core dimensions of family functioning, including how the family solves problems, communicates, allocates and performs roles, responds emotionally, shows emotional involvement, exercises behavioral control, and functions overall. Data can be analyzed quantitatively by calculating mean scores for each subscale and can also be used qualitatively to outline the family’s functioning profile. The tool is widely used to monitor the progress of psychotherapeutic interventions, support research in mental health, and provide diagnostic insights in therapeutic contexts.

Purpose

The purpose of the McMaster Family Assessment Device is to identify dysfunctional patterns within the family, assess the effectiveness of psychosocial or therapeutic interventions, categorize families according to their level of functioning, and enhance understanding of family dynamics in both clinical and research contexts.

Scoring

Scoring is done by converting responses into numerical values from 1 to 4. Negatively worded items are reverse-scored before calculating final results. For each of the seven subscales, the average score of the related items is computed. Higher scores generally indicate lower levels of functioning. Cut-off scores have been established through research to distinguish between functional and dysfunctional families.

References

Epstein, N. B., Baldwin, L. M., & Bishop, D. S. (1983). The McMaster Family Assessment Device. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 9(2), 171–180.
Miller, I. W., Epstein, N. B., Bishop, D. S., & Keitner, G. I. (1985). The McMaster Family Assessment Device: Reliability and validity. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 11(4), 345–356.
Kabacoff, R. I., Miller, I. W., Bishop, D. S., Epstein, N. B., & Keitner, G. I. (1990). A psychometric study of the McMaster Family Assessment Device in psychiatric, medical, and nonclinical samples. Journal of Family Psychology, 3(4), 431.