Family Functioning Scale – FFS
Measures dimensions of family functioning including warmth, communication, worries, conflict, and rituals/support.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Family Functioning Scale – FFS was developed by M. L. Tavitian, J. Lubiner, L. Green, L. C. Grebstein, & W. F. Velicer (1987). It is designed to measure Family Functioning. The scale is intended for use with Adolescents and adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 40 items organized into 5 factors/subscales: Positive Family Warmth, Family Communication, Family Worries, Family Conflict, Family Rituals/Support.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Positive Family Warmth | 4,7,11,21,33,36,38 | 7 |
| Family Communication | 9,16,17,19,24,27,28,35,40 | 9 |
| Family Worries | 8,10,13,18,22,31,34,37 | 8 |
| Family Conflict | 2,3,6,15,20,23,25,26 | 8 |
| Family Rituals/Support | 1,5,12,14,29,30,32,39 | 8 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 1 = Never, 2 = Almost Never, 3 = Rarely, 4 = Sometimes, 5 = Frequently, 6 = Almost Always, 7 = Always.
The scale includes 3 reverse-scored items to reduce acquiescence bias.
Scoring
Items are scored by subscale, with each subscale sum representing a distinct dimension.
Total scores range from 40 to 280. Interpretation guidelines:
- Poor Family Functioning: 40 – 100
- Moderate Family Functioning: 101 – 160
- Good Family Functioning: 161 – 220
- Excellent Family Functioning: 221 – 280
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Cronbach's alpha ranges from .74 to .90 for subscales.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 10 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.