Scale Overview
The Parent-Child Relationship Survey – PCRS was developed by Mark A. Fine, J. R. Moreland, A. I. Schwebel (1983). It is designed to measure Parent-Child Relationship Quality. The scale is intended for use with Adolescents and adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 24 items organized into 8 factors/subscales: Mother – Positive Affect, Mother – Resentment/Role Confusion, Mother – Identification, Mother – Communication, Father – Positive Affect, Father – Father Involvement, Father – Communication, Father – Anger.
| Factor / Subscale |
Items |
N |
| Mother – Positive Affect |
1,2,3,6,7,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23 |
14 |
| Mother – Resentment/Role Confusion |
9,14 |
2 |
| Mother – Identification |
13,23,24 |
3 |
| Mother – Communication |
4,5,7,8,15,16,17 |
7 |
| Father – Positive Affect |
3,14,18,19,20,21,22,23,24 |
9 |
| Father – Father Involvement |
1,2,6,9,10,16 |
6 |
| Father – Communication |
7,8,15,16,17 |
5 |
| Father – Anger |
13 |
1 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 1 = 1 (Low / Negative anchor), 2 = 2, 3 = 3, 4 = 4, 5 = 5, 6 = 6, 7 = 7 (High / Positive anchor).
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 24 to 168. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low relationship quality: 24 – 72
- Moderate relationship quality: 73 – 120
- High relationship quality: 121 – 168
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Alpha values range from .61 to .94 across 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.