Parent-Adolescent
Communication Scale
Interpersonal
Communication Inventory
Defensive and
Supportive Communication Interaction Coding System
Behavior Inventory
Parent-Youth
Communication Questionnaire
Life Skills Development
Scale - Adolescent form
Self Report Delinquency
Scale
Social Interaction
between Siblings Interview (SIBS)
Australian
Self-Reported Delinquency Scale
Name: Parent-Adolescent Communication Scale
Author(s): H.L. Barnes & D.H. Olson
Date: 1982
Description: This 20 item, 5-point Likert-type scale is composed of two subscales which measure degree of openness and extent of problems in family communication. This scale is often used in conjunction with the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scales (FACES) according to the Circumplex Model of Marital and Family Systems (Olson, Sprenkle, & Russell, 1979).
Subscales: 1) Open Family Communication Scale
2) Problems in Family Communication Scale
Literature Reference: Barnes, H.L., & Olson, D.H. (1985). Parent-adolescent communication and the Circumplex model. Child Development, 56, 438-447.
Availability: Literature reference: Barnes, H.L., & Olson, D.H. (1982). Parent adolescent communication scales. Olson, D.H., et al. (Eds.). Family inventories, (pp. 33-48). St Paul: Family Social Science, University of Minnesota.
Cost: N/A
Target Audience: Adolescents and their primary care givers
Psychometrics: Alpha reliabilties for each subscale are .87 and .78; test-retest reliabilties are .78 and .77.
Advantages/Disadvantages: A highly utilized scale in the family communication literature.
Name: Interpersonal Communication Inventory
Author(s): M.J. Bienvenu, Sr.
Date: 1970
Description: This 50 item, 3-point Likert type self-inventory was developed to measure the process of communication as an element of social interaction. It is intended to identify not content, but patterns, characteristics, and styles of communication. Such areas as the ability to listen, to empathize, to understand, to deal with angry feelings, and to express oneself are explored.
Subscales: N/A
Literature Reference: Bienvenu, M.J. (1971). An interpersonal communication inventory. The Journal of Communication, 21, 381-388.
Availability: Literature reference
Cost: N/A
Target Audience: Individuals of high school age or older
Psychometrics: Face validity by a panel of sociologists, psychologists and specialists in the field of human relations. Evidence of discriminant validity.
Advantages/Disadvantages: May be best suited as a counseling tool, as a supplement to an interview, or as a teaching tool.
Name: Defensive and Supportive Communication Interaction Coding System
Author(s): C. Barton; J.F. Alexander; & C.W. Turner
Date: 1988
Description: This coding system is designed to be used while observing family verbal and non-verbal behaviors. The system consists of eight subcategories, four defensive and four supportive.
Subscales: Four defensive subcategories: judgmental-dogmatism; control; indifference; superiority. Four supportive subcategories: genuine information giving and seeking; spontaneous problem solving; empathy; equality.
Literature Reference: Waldron, H.B., Turner, C.W., Alexander, J.F., & Barton, C. (1993). Coding defensive and supportive communications: Discriminant validity and subcategory convergence. Journal of family Psychology, 7, 197-203.
Availability: Above literature reference
Cost: N/A
Target Audience: Most often used in families with juvenile delinquents.
Psychometrics: Convergent and discriminant validity for subcategories. Inter-rater reliabilties kappa coefficients in analog setting from .76 to .96 (determined elsewhere). Current study, inter-rater agreement of 90%.
Advantages/Disadvantages: Has been used frequently in
the study of interactions in families with a juvenile delinquent.
Lack of research examining the psychometric properties.
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Name: Behavior Inventory
Author(s): D. Kirby & J. Alters
Date: 1984
Description: This inventory was designed for Mathtech to evaluate a sex education program. It was intended to measure frequency with which respondents actually use important skills in everyday life and the comfort respondents experience when using some of the skills. It is a 6-point Likert type format.
Subscales: This measure contains an 8 question communication subscale.
Literature Reference: Lock, S.E., & Vincent, M.L. (1995). Sexual decision making among rural adolescent females. Health Values, 19, 47-58.
Availability: ETR Associates, P.O. Box 1830, Santa Cruz, CA 95062-1830
Cost: $10.00
Target Audience: Adolescents
Psychometrics: Test-retest is .57; Cronbach's alpha is .75 for communication subscale
Advantages/Disadvantages: Contains general communication skills items and items specific to communication about sexuality.
Name: Parent-Youth Communication Questionnaire
Author(s): L. Serna, J.B. Schumaker, J.A. Sherman, & J.B. Sheldon
Date: 1991
Description: This scale was designed to measure parent and youth perceptions of family communication and overall social interactions. 7-point Likert-type format.
Subscales: N/A
Literature Reference: Serna, L.A., Schumaker, J.B. Sherman, J.A., & Sheldon, J.B. (1991). In home generalization of social interactions in families of adolescents with behavior problems. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 24, 733-746.
Availability: Loretta Serna, 1779 University Ave., University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI 96822.
Cost: N/A
Target Audience: Adolescents and their families
Psychometrics: None noted
Advantages/Disadvantages: No psychometrics
Name: Life Skills Development Scale - Adolescent form
Author(s): C.A. Darden, E.J. Ginter, & G.M. Gazda
Date: 1996
Description: The 65-item revision of this scale is an assessment instrument that produces a general score of global efficacy, but also provides some specific information regarding the four identified component parts: interpersonal communication/human relations skills; problem-solving/decision-making skills; physical fitness/health maintenance skills; and identity development/purpose in life skills.
Subscales: This instrument contains a communication/human relations skills subscale - 15 items
Literature Reference: Darden, C.A., Ginter, E.J., & Gazda, G.M. (1996). Life-skills development scale - adolescent form: the theoretical and therapeutic relevance of life-skills. Journal of Mental Health Counseling, 18, 142- 163.
Availability: C. A. Darden Learning Disabilities Center, 343 Milledge Hall, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602-2553.
Cost:
Target Audience: Adolescents, ages 13-18.
Psychometrics: Internal consistency is .94 for the total scale; ranged from .72 to .87 for the subscales. Interscale correlations were significant bu in the low-to-moderate range.
Advantages/Disadvantages: The intended purposes of this instrument are for research and to assist in intervention design, implementation, and evaluation in clinical and educational settings.
Name: Self Report Delinquency Scale
Author(s): Elliot, Huiziga, and Ageton
Date: 1985
Description: Elliot, et. Al.'s 91985) Self Report Delinquency scale indicates levels of several types of delinquency. The scale consists of 24 items which examine frequency of minor delinquency acts, as well as more serious types of delinquent behavior, and is said to measure the full range of delinquent activity. Responses are scored by the adolescent listing the number of times he or she has engaged in an activity in the last six months. This scale has an alpha of .93.
Literature Reference: Elliot, D.S., Huizinga, D., and Ageton, S. (1985). Explaining delinquency and drug use. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage.
Availability:
Cost: free
Target Audience: Adolescents
Psychometrics: This scale had a Cronbach's alpha of .93 in validation study.
Advantages/Disadvantages: Self report methods are beneficial for this population in that poor and minority adolescents tend to be over-represented in police records, but class differences disappear when self-report methods are used (Larzelere and Patterson, 1990). This measure has been widely used with a variety of populations.
Name: Social Interaction between Siblings Interview (SIBS)
Author(s): Slomkowski, Wasserman, & Schaffer
Date: 1997
Description: this scale is designed to examine sibling influences on antisocial behavior. Mothers complete the interview, consisting of 87 questions, about a sibling pair. Four subscales are created: amount of contact between siblings, positive qualities, negative qualities and influence among siblings. Scale items are included in the interviews.
Literature Reference: Slomkowski, C., Wasserman, G., & Schaffer, D. (1997). A new instrument to assess sibling relationships in antisocial youth: The social interaction between siblings (SIBS) interview: A research note. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 38, 253-256.
Availability: Copy available from first author upon request
Cost: free
Target Audience: Mothers and children aged 6-15
Psychometrics: This scale had a Cronbach's alpha of .93 in validation study. Test-retest reliability ranged from adequate to excellent in the four subscales.
Advantages/Disadvantages: Time to complete instrument is about 40 minutes. It may be more beneficial to obtain a direct assessment of children's and adolescents' perceptions.
Name: Australian Self-Reported Delinquency Scale
Author(s): Mak
Date: 1993
Description: This scale is designed to examine delinquent behavior among Australian adolescents, as well as assess delinquent behavior ranging from minor status offenses to more serious crimes. Nine subscales are created: cheat, status, fight, vehicle, drugs, theft, harm, driving, and disturb.
Literature Reference: Mak, A.S. (1993). A self-report delinquency scale for Australian Adolescents. Australian Journal of Psychology, 45, 75-79.
Availability: Measure is present in the article, more information is available from the first author.
Cost: free
Target Audience: Adolescents under the age of 18.
Psychometrics: This scale has a Cronbach's alpha of .90 for males and .87 for females in validation study. Factor analyses of subscales ranged from adequate to strong. Test-retest reliability information was not available.
Advantages/Disadvantages: There is a social desirability scale embedded in the measure . The measure may only be appropriate for Australian adolescents.
Evaluation Tools Page
ENTRY DATE:: December 1998