Parenting Scale (PS)

PURPOSE To measure dysfunctional discipline practices.

AUTHORS David S. Arnold, Susan G. O'Leary, Lisa S. Wolff, and Maureen M. Acker
DESCRIPTION The PS is a 30-item instrument designed to measure dysfunctional discipline
practices in parents of young children. The PS is perhaps the first paper and
pencil questionnaire to be developed specifically for identifying dysfunctional discipline
activities of parents. Unlike more global measures of parental attitudes and
beliefs, the items on the PS are specific enough to target these areas for intervention
regarding parent training. The PS does not appear necessarily tied to the frequency
of child misbehavior so that it may even allow for early identification of
at-risk parents and for intervention directed at dysfunctional discipline practices
before severe child behavior problems develop. The PS comprises three subscales
(items 1, 5,13, and 27 are not on the subscales) laxness (items 7, 8,12,15,16,19,
20,21, 24, 26, and 30); overreactivity (items 3, 6, 9, 10, 14, 17, 18, 22, 25 , and 28);
and verbosity (items 2, 4, 7, 9, 11,23, and 29).
NORMS The PS was initially developed with 168 mothers of children 18 to 48 months
old (the mean age of the children was 24 months). The mean age of the mothers
was 31.2 years with a mean family income of $35,000 per year and a mean level of
mothers' education of 14.9 years. Sixty-five of the mothers had reported to a clinic
because of extreme difficulties in handling their children; the rest were mothers
whose children attended a university preschool or who had volunteered to participate
in the study. In a subsample of clinic and nonclinic mothers, scores on the PS
were as follows for the clinic group total score M= 3.1 (SD= .7); for laxness, M=2.8
(SD= 1.0); overreactivity, M=3.0 (SD= 1.0); and verbosity, M=3.1 (SD= 1.0). For
the nonclinic group, total score M= 2.6 (SD = .6); laxness, M=2.4 (SD =. 8); overreactivity,
M=2.4 (SD=.7); and verbosity, M=2.6 (SD=.6).
SCORING Each item receives a score from 1 to 7, where 7 is the "ineffective" end of the
item. The following items have 7 on the left side (the others on the right) 2, 3, 6, 9,
10, 13, 14, 17, 19,20,23,26,27, and 30. To compute the total score average the responses
on all items; to compute a subscale score, average the responses on the
items on that subscale.
RELIABILITY The PS has good internal consistency with alphas for the total score of .84,
and for laxness, .83, for overreactivity, .82, and for verbosity, .63 . The PS also has
very good test stability with two-week test-retest correlations of .84 for the total
score and .83, .82, and .79 for the laxness, overreactivity, and verbosity subscales,
respectively.
VALIDITY The PS has very good concurrent and discriminant validity. The PS significantly
distinguishes between clinic and nonclinic mothers on the laxness, overreactivity,
and total scales. The PS also was significantly correlated with the Child
Behavior Checklist on the total scale and all subs cales and was negatively correlated
with the Locke-Wallace Marital Adjustment Inventory (with lower scores on

the Marital Adjustment test indicating greater marital discord). The PS also was
significantly correlated with observations of parenting behavior.
PRIMARY REFERENCE Arnold, D. S., O'Leary, S. G., Wolff, L. S., and Acker, M. M. (1993).
The Parenting Scale: A measure of dysfunctional parenting in discipline situations,
Psychological Assessment, 5, 137-144. Instrument reprinted with permission of Dr.
O'Leary.
AVAILABILITY Susan G. O'Leary, David S. Arnold, Lisa S. Wolff, and Maureen M. Acker,
Psychology Department, State University of New York at Stonybrook, Stonybrook,
NY,11794.

At one time or another, all children misbehave or do things that could be harmful, that
are "wrong," or that parents don't like.
Examples include: hitting someone
forgetting homework
having a tantrum
running into the street
whining
not picking up toys
refusing to go to bed
arguing back
throwing food
lying wanting a cookie before dinner
coming home late 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.
Parents have many different ways or styles of dealing w ith these types of problems.
Below are items that describe some styles of parenting. For each item, fill in the circle
that best describes your style of parenting during the past two months with the child
indicated above.
When my ch ild misbehaves ..
I do something right away 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Before I do something about a problem. I give
my child several reminders or warnings. 7 6 5 4 3
When I'm upset or under stress .. I am picky and on my child's back. 7 6 5 4 3 When I
tell my child not to do something . .. I say very little. 2 3 4 5 When my child pesters me .
I can ignore the the pestering. 2 3 4 5
When my child misbehaves. I usually get into a long argument with my child. 7 6 5 4 3 I
threaten to do things that. I am sure I can carry out. 2 3 4 5 I am the kind of parent
that .. sets limits on what my child is allowed to do. 2 3 4 5 6 7 2 2 6 7 6 7 2 6 7 6 7 I do
something about it later I use only one reminder or warning. I am no more picky than

usual. I say a lot. I can't ignore the pestering. I don't get into an argument. I know I won't
actually do. lets my child do whatever he or she wants.

one my
timechild
or another,
all children misbehave or do things that could be harmful, that are "wrong," or that
9. At
When
misbehaves.

I give
my child
I keep having
my talksashort
and torunning
the pointinto the
parents
don'ta long
like.lecture.
Examples include: hitting someone forgetting homework
tantrum

street whining not picking up toys refusing to go to bed arguing back throwing food lying wanting a cookie
2. 3.6 4. 5.56. 7. 8.4 Parents
3 have2 many different ways or styles of dealing
w ith these types of problems. Below are items that describe some styles of parenting. For each item, fill in
the circle that best describes your style of parenting during the past two months with the child indicated
10. When my child misbehaves.
above. When my ch ild misbehaves .. I do something right away 2 3 4 5 Before I do something about a problem.
I give
childorseveral
I'm
.. I am
picky and on my
speak stress
to my child
calmly.
I raise
mymy
voice
yell. 7 reminders or warnings.
4
2 or Iunder
3 upset
6 7 6 55 4 3 When
child's back. 7 6 5 4 3 When I tell my child not to do something . .. I say very little. 2 3 4 5 When my child
pesters me . I can ignore the the pestering. 2 3 4 5 When my child misbehaves. I usually get into a long argument
11.with
If saying
no7doesn't
righttoaway
.. . that. I am sure I can carry out. 2 3 4 5 I am the kind of parent that
my child.
6 5 4 3work
I threaten
do things
.. sets limits on what my child is allowed to do. 2 3 4 5 6 7 2 2 6 7 6 7 2 6 7 6 7 II do
something about it later I use only
keep talking and try to get through to my child.
7 before dinner coming home late 1.

5
7
I take
otherorkind
of action.
4 picky than usual. I say
onesome
reminder
warning.
I am2no3 more
a lot.6I can't ignore the pestering. I don't get into an argument.
I know I won't actually do. lets my child do whatever he or she wants.

12. When I want my child to stop doing something.

I firmly tell my child to stop. 2 3

I coax or beg my child to stop.

13. When my child is out of my sight ..

I often don't know what my child is doing. 7 6 5

I always have a good idea of what my child is doing.

14. After there's been a problem with my child.

2

I often hold a grudge. 7 6 5 4 3

things get back to normal quickly.

15. When we're not at home.

I handle my child the way I do at home.

I let my child get away with a lot more.

2345

16. When my child does something I don't like ...

7

I do something about it every time it happens. 2 3 4 5 6

I often let it go.

17. When there's a problem with my child.

things build up and I do things I don't mean to do. 7 6 5 4

things don't get out of hand.

18. When my child misbehaves, I spank, slap, grab, or hit my child.

never or rarely. most of the time. 2 3 4 5 6 7

19. When my child doesn't do what I ask ..

I often let it go or end up doing it myself. 7 6 5 4

I take some other action.

0. When I give a fair threat or warning.

I often don't carry it out.

I always do what I said.

403

21. If saying no doesn't work.

I take some other kind of

I offer my child something nice so

action.

he/she will behave.

22. When my child misbehaves.

I handle it without getting

I get so frustrated or angry that my

child can see I'm upset.

upset.

23 . When my child misbehaves ...

I make my child tell me

I say "No" or take some other

why he/she did it

action.

24. If my child misbehaves and then acts sorry.

I handle the problem like

I let it go that time.

I usually w ould.

25. When my child misbehaves ...

I rarely use bad language

I almost always use bad language.

or curse.

26. Wh en I say my child can't do something

.. .

I let my child do it anyway.

I stick to what I said.

27. Wh en I have to handle a problem.

I tell my child I'm sorry

I don't say I'm sorry.

about it.

28. When my child does something I don't like, I insult my child, say mean things, or call
child names ...
never or rarely.

most of the time.

29. If my child talks back or complains when I handle a problem.

I ignore the complaining

I give my child a talk about not

and stick to what I said.

complaining.

30. If my child gets upset when I say" No,"

I back down and give in
to my child .

I stick to what I said .

404