Scale Overview
The Parent-Adolescent Communication Scale – Adolescent Form (PACS) was developed by Howard L. Barnes, David H. Olson (1982). It is designed to measure Parent-Adolescent Communication. The scale is intended for use with Adolescents.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 20 items organized into 2 factors/subscales: Open Family Communication, Problems in Family Communication.
| Factor / Subscale |
Items |
N |
| Open Family Communication |
1,3,6,7,8,9,13,14,16,17 |
10 |
| Problems in Family Communication |
2,4,5,10,11,12,15,18,19,20 |
10 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 1 = Strongly Disagree, 2 = Moderately Disagree, 3 = Neither Agree or Disagree, 4 = Moderately Agree, 5 = Strongly Agree.
The scale includes 10 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 20 to 100. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low/Poor Communication: 20 – 50
- Moderate Communication: 51 – 80
- High/Good Communication: 81 – 100
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Alpha coefficients of both subscales and the total scale range from .78 to .92.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 5 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.