Description of the Questionnaire

The Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment (IPPA-25) is a self-report assessment tool designed to examine the quality of adolescents’ attachment to their parents (separately to mother and father) and peers. It is based on attachment theory as formulated by Bowlby and later expanded by other researchers. The IPPA-25 measures three main dimensions: mutual trust, quality of communication, and anger or alienation. It consists of 75 statements, divided into three sections (25 items each for mother, father, and friends), and respondents answer using a five-point Likert scale (1 to 5).

Objective

The objective of the IPPA-25 is to assess adolescents’ perceptions of their relationships with significant figures, such as parents and friends, to capture the level of psychological security that arises from these relationships, and to identify the quality of their emotional connection as well as possible signs of alienation or communication difficulties. The tool is widely used in research and clinical settings to study socio-emotional relationships during adolescence.

Data Analysis and Use

Each section (Mother, Father, Friends) provides three subscales: Mutual Trust, Quality of Communication, and Anger and Alienation. Respondents rate each statement on a scale from 1 to 5, where 1 means “Never true” and 5 means “Always true.” Negatively worded items are reverse-scored during analysis. The scores for the individual items are summed to yield the three subscale scores for each section (mother, father, peers), as well as a total attachment score for each. Data analysis can be performed using statistical methods such as means, standard deviations, factor analysis, and reliability indices such as Cronbach’s alpha.

Scoring

Scoring involves summing the scores of all positively worded items and the reverse-scored negative items in each section to yield a total score. Higher scores indicate higher quality of attachment. Conversely, low scores in the trust and communication dimensions or high scores in anger and alienation may indicate insecure or dysfunctional attachment. The scoring allows for comparisons between individuals or groups, tracking changes over time, and application in intervention or diagnostic settings.

References

Armsden, G. C., & Greenberg, M. T. (1987). The Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment: Individual differences and their relationship to psychological well-being in adolescence. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 16(5), 427–454. Bowlby, J. (1982). Attachment and loss: Retrospect and prospect. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 52(4), 664–678. Raja, S. N., McGee, R., & Stanton, W. R. (1992). Perceived attachments to parents and peers and psychological well-being in adolescence. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 21(4), 471–485.