Description

The Parental Stress Index (PSI-36) is a psychometric questionnaire designed to assess parental stress associated with child-rearing and the parent–child relationship. The original version of the instrument consisted of 120 items and was developed by Solis and Abidin (1998). Due to the length of the original questionnaire, shorter versions were later developed, including the 36-item version created by Abidin (2012).

The PSI-36 evaluates stress experienced by parents that may arise from different internal and external factors related to parenting demands and interactions with children.

Objective

The main objective of the PSI-36 is to measure the level of parental stress and identify factors that may influence the quality of the parent–child relationship.

The questionnaire aims to assess:

parental emotional distress,

difficulties in parent–child interactions,

and stress related to child characteristics and behaviours.

Although the PSI-36 was not originally developed for forensic purposes, it has also been applied in forensic contexts through subsequent research and clinical use.

Structure and Subscales

The PSI-36 consists of three main subscales that assess different dimensions of parental stress:

Parental Distress (PD), which evaluates stress experienced by parents due to personal factors, emotional difficulties, and parenting demands.

Parent–Child Dysfunctional Interaction (PCDI), which assesses difficulties and dissatisfaction in the interaction between parent and child.

Child Difficulties (DC), which evaluates stress associated with perceived difficulties related to the child.

In addition to these dimensions, the questionnaire provides a Total Stress (TS) score representing the overall level of parental stress.

Scoring Method

The PSI-36 is completed by parents, who respond to statements related to their experiences and perceptions of parenting.

Scores are calculated for each subscale and combined to produce the Total Stress score. Higher scores indicate higher levels of parental stress and greater difficulties associated with parenting.

According to the questionnaire manual, scores equal to or above the 85th percentile on the Total Stress scale are considered borderline clinically significant based on the standards of the full PSI version. However, the clinical usefulness of this threshold has not been extensively examined in the literature.

Data Analysis and Use

Data obtained from the PSI-36 can be analysed using descriptive statistics, reliability analysis, correlation analysis, and comparative statistical methods.

The questionnaire is mainly used in research examining:

parental stress levels,

parent–child relationships,

parenting difficulties,

and factors affecting family functioning.

The PSI-36 has been widely used in research focusing on parent–child relationships, and its validity and reliability have been supported through extensive research applications.

Validity and Reliability

The PSI-36 was developed through exploratory factor analyses of the original PSI questionnaire. Its psychometric properties have been supported through widespread research use, particularly in studies examining parental stress and family relationships.

References

Abidin, R. R., Austin, W. G., & Flens, J. R. (2013). The forensic uses and limitations of the Parenting Stress Index.