Parental-Child Attachment – Rochester Youth Development Study (RYDS)
Measures the strength and quality of the attachment relationship between parents and their children from both parent and youth perspectives.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Parental-Child Attachment – Rochester Youth Development Study (RYDS) was developed by Thornberry, T. P., Lizotte, A. J., Krohn, M. D., Farnworth, M., & Jang, S. J. (1991). It is designed to measure Parent-Child Attachment. The scale is intended for use with Parents and Youth (Adolescents).
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 22 items organized into 2 factors/subscales: Parent Report, Youth Report.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Parent Report | 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11 | 11 |
| Youth Report | 12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22 | 11 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 1 = Never, 2 = Seldom, 3 = Sometimes, 4 = Often.
The scale includes 11 reverse-scored items to reduce acquiescence bias.
Scoring
Item scores are averaged to produce a mean score.
Total scores range from 1 to 4. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low Attachment: 1 – 2
- Moderate Attachment: 2 – 3
- High Attachment: 3 – 4
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Not specified.
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.