Validity and diagnostic accuracy of a measure of parental stress in parents with typically developing children

ABSTRACT

The Parental Stress and Coping Inventory (PSCI), a 5-point, 18-item questionnaire was evaluated and validated as a screening measure for parental stress in the current sample of 126 mostly low income and ethnic minority parents with typically developing children. One hundred twenty-six participants contributed data to the current receiver-operating characteristics (ROC) analysis. ROC analyses were conducted to determine the cutoff scores of PSCI parental distress, social support, and family-based support measures. We found an optimal parental distress cutoff point of 14.5 with an associated sensitivity of 73% and 82% specificity. The optimal cutoff point of social support measure was 23.5 associated with 76% sensitivity and 49% specificity. And, the optimal cutoff point of family-based support measure was 13.5 associated with 79% sensitivity and 56% specificity. This study not only provided evidence for the reliability and validity of PSCI, but also proved the inventory to be a simple, sensitive, and specific battery for screening for parental stress and coping.

KEYWORDS:

• Cutoff score
• parental stress
• receiving-operating characteristics (ROC) analysis

Acknowledgments

Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of US DHHS, Office of Family Assistance.