Description

The Parent Support Subscale (PSS) is a psychometric tool used to assess the level of perceived parental support within specific contexts, typically related to the development and well-being of children and adolescents. The PSS is often part of larger surveys or questionnaires aimed at understanding the family dynamics and how parental involvement influences outcomes in areas such as education, mental health, or social behavior.

The subscale measures various aspects of parental support, which may include emotional, financial, and practical support as well as parents’ involvement in their children’s activities and well-being.

Analysis and Use of Data from the Parent Support Subscale

Data Collection: The PSS typically generates data based on self-reported or observational measures. Data collection often occurs through surveys completed by children, adolescents, or parents themselves. Items in the subscale are usually statements rated on a Likert-type scale (e.g., from 1 = “Strongly Disagree” to 5 = “Strongly Agree”). Example items may include:

“My parents are always there to support me.”

“I can rely on my parents to help me when I need it.”

“My parents take an active interest in my education.”

Data Analysis: Analyzing PSS data typically involves the following steps:

Descriptive Statistics: Calculate mean, median, mode, and standard deviation to understand the central tendency and variability of the data.

Reliability Testing: Use Cronbach’s alpha to assess the internal consistency of the subscale. A higher alpha (usually above 0.70) indicates strong reliability.

Factor Analysis: Confirmatory or exploratory factor analysis may be used to verify the construct validity of the scale, ensuring that the items reflect a single or multiple dimensions of parental support.

Correlational Analysis: Investigate correlations between PSS scores and other variables, such as academic performance, psychological well-being, or social adjustment, to explore the impact of parental support.

Regression Analysis: Use regression models to examine how different levels of parental support predict specific outcomes, controlling for other variables.

Purpose of Using the Parent Support Subscale

The primary purpose of the PSS is to assess the role of parental support in various developmental and behavioral outcomes. Specific research objectives may include:

Understanding how parental involvement influences academic performance in school-aged children.

Evaluating the link between perceived parental support and mental health outcomes, such as anxiety or depression, among adolescents.

Investigating differences in parental support across socioeconomic, cultural, or family structure contexts.

Informing interventions or programs aimed at improving parent-child relationships.

Calibration

Calibration involves ensuring that the scale accurately reflects the level of parental support across different groups or contexts. This can be achieved through:

Pilot Testing: Conducting a small-scale study to test the clarity of items and reliability of responses.

Item Response Theory (IRT): This approach assesses how well each item in the subscale discriminates between different levels of the underlying construct (parental support) and refines the scale accordingly.

Cross-Cultural Validation: Ensuring that the subscale is appropriate and relevant for diverse cultural groups by adapting items to fit specific cultural contexts while maintaining conceptual equivalence.

Bibliography

Sarason, I. G., et al. (1983). “Assessing social support: The social support questionnaire.” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. This article discusses tools for measuring social support, which can include parental support as a subset.

Grolnick, W. S., & Ryan, R. M. (1989). “Parent styles associated with children’s self-regulation and competence in school.” Journal of Educational Psychology. This research explores how different types of parental involvement affect children’s academic and personal outcomes.

Cutrona, C. E., & Russell, D. W. (1987). “The provisions of social relationships and adaptation to stress.” Advances in Personal Relationships. Discusses broader social support frameworks, which provide a foundation for understanding parental support.

Fan, X., & Chen, M. (2001). “Parental involvement and students’ academic achievement: A meta-analysis.” Educational Psychology Review. Focuses on the relationship between parental support and academic success.

Khaleque, A., & Rohner, R. P. (2002). “Perceived parental acceptance-rejection and psychological adjustment: A meta-analysis of cross-cultural and intracultural studies.” Journal of Marriage and Family. This work provides a cross-cultural perspective on the effects of parental acceptance and support.