Development of an Instrument to Assess Parent–College Child Communication Regarding Alcohol Use Behaviors

Background: Past research suggests that parent–child communication can serve as protective factors to reduce alcohol misuse among college-aged children. Purpose: This article presents the methodology used and preliminary findings for developing and validating an instrument to assess parent–college student communication regarding alcohol use. During November 2011, a convenience sample of 208 parents of students attending a large, southeastern university was recruited to participate. Methods: A rigorous process of test development was used to develop and test a 47-item instrument. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was used to investigate desired variable measurement of the underlying constructs for selected items. Results: EFA findings revealed that items measured 3 factors, including constructs from social cognitive theory, self-efficacy of parents to communicate with child, and outcome expectations. Moreover, the results support reliability of these items to measure self-efficacy and outcome expectations of parents. Discussion: Preliminary results suggest that the survey has evidence for producing valid and reliable scores. Translation to Practice: Further testing and validating this instrument will provide a mechanism for assessing parent–college child communication as a protective factor for high-risk drinking behaviors among college students.