NCJ Number
208454
Journal
Child Abuse & Neglect Volume: 26 Issue: 2 Dated: February 2002 Pages: 207-225
Date Published
February 2002
Length
19 pages
Annotation
This article reports on the development and initial psychometric testing of the Parent Threat Inventory (PTI).
Abstract
Previous studies have theorized about the impact of parenting factors in the development of psychopathology. One study in particular focused on the link between parental threatening behavior and the development of anxiety disorders. The current article discusses the development and testing of a retrospective inventory measuring the role of parental threatening behavior in the etiology of psychological distress among adults. It was hypothesized that in addition to contributing to anxiety disorder, parental threats may also be significant in the development of depressive disorders. The inventory items were developed based on relevant theory and administered to 135 students at San Diego State University. An item reduction then ensued in which 2 subsequent student samples (n=200 and n=603) also completed the PTI; responses were used to eliminate unstable or redundant items and to test the inventory’s psychometric properties. Factor analysis indicated that three factors accounted for 66.2 percent of the variance, which is compatible with theoretical assertions and is consistent across maternal behavior scores, paternal behavior scores, and with combined maternal and paternal scores. Acceptable internal consistency and 4-week test-retest reliability were observed. Results of regression analyses indicated that the inventory could predict anxiety and depressive disorders, as well as lifetime symptoms of anxiety and depressive disorders. Thus, the PTI is a reliable and valid tool for investigating antecedents of psychological distress among adults. Future research should focus on addressing some of the limitations with the PTI. Tables, references