Validation of the parenting competence scale for parents with young children (PCS-YC)

ABSTRACT

Parenting competences have a major influence on children’s development and well-being. The objective of this study was to validate the Parenting Competence Scale for Parents with Young Children (PCS-YC) from a preventive psycho-socio-educative approach. After performing Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analysis with data collected from a random sample of 1684 Spanish parents with young children, the scale includes 15 items classified into five factors explaining 42.7% of the variance: F1-Self-Regulation, F2-Self-Esteem, F3-Promotion of Children’s Self-Esteem; F4-Imposition for Conflict Resolution, and F5-Not-Assertive Communication. The selected factors are in line with the five parenting competences categories proposed by [Azar, S. T., Lauretti, A. F., & Loding, B. V. (1998). The evaluation of parental fitness in termination of parental rights cases: a functional-contextual perspective. Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, 1(2), 77–100], regarding child abuse and childhood injury prevention. The reliability values and general psychometric properties of the scale, together with its length and easy application make it worth in different areas which requires an assessment of parenting competences regarding young children.

KEYWORDS:

• Parenting competences
• young children
• scale
• assessment
• prevention

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Raquel-Amaya Martínez-González, Ph.D. Full Professor at the Department of Educational Sciences, University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain. She coordinates the Research Group on Educational Intervention in the Family, the School and the Social Field (IEFES). Priority research lines: (1) Positive Parenting, (2) Emotional Education, (3) School-Family-Community Partnerships. She is member of the Experts Group on Positive Parenting of the Spanish Ministry of Health, Social Services and Equity and the Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces.

María-Teresa Iglesias-García, Ph.D. Associate Professor at the Department of Educational Sciences, University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain. She is a member of the Research Group on Educational Intervention in the Family, the School and the Social field (IEFES). Priority research lines: (1) Social and employment inclusion of people with disabilities, (2) Couple relationships; (3) Positive Parenting. She coordinates the Master on Socioeducative Research and Intervention at Oviedo University (Spain).

ORCID

Raquel-Amaya Martínez-González http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3254-8655

María-Teresa Iglesias-García http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9577-7693