McMaster Family Assessment Device – FAD
Measures family functioning across multiple dimensions to identify structural, organizational, and transactional patterns of the family unit.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The McMaster Family Assessment Device – FAD was developed by Nathan B. Epstein, Lawrence M. Baldwin, Duane S. Bishop (1983). It is designed to measure Family Functioning. The scale is intended for use with Families (adults and adolescents).
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 49 items organized into 6 factors/subscales: Problem Solving, Communication, Affective Responsiveness, Affective Involvement, Behavioral Control, General Functioning.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Problem Solving | 1,2,3,4,5,6 | 6 |
| Communication | 7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15 | 9 |
| Affective Responsiveness | 16,17,18,19,20,21 | 6 |
| Affective Involvement | 22,23,24,25,26,27,28 | 7 |
| Behavioral Control | 29,30,31,32,33,34,35,36,37 | 9 |
| General Functioning | 38,39,40,41,42,43,44,45,46,47,48,49 | 12 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a 4-point Likert scale (1 = Strongly Disagree to 4 = Strongly Agree).
The scale includes 14 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 1 to 4. Interpretation guidelines:
- Healthy Family Functioning: 1 – 2
- Unhealthy Family Functioning (Clinical Range): 2 – 4
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Overall alpha: 0.93, subscales range from 0.68 to 0.82.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 15 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.