Perceptions of Parents Scales – College Student (POPS)
Measures college students' perceptions of the degree to which their parents support their autonomy, are involved in their lives, and provide warmth and acceptance.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Perceptions of Parents Scales – College Student (POPS) was developed by Robbins, R. J. (1994). It is designed to measure Perceived Parenting Style (Autonomy Support, Involvement, Warmth). The scale is intended for use with College students and young adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 42 items organized into 6 factors/subscales: Mother Autonomy Support, Mother Involvement, Mother Warmth, Father Autonomy Support, Father Involvement, Father Warmth.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Mother Autonomy Support | 2,5,8,11,14,17,19 | 7 |
| Mother Involvement | 3,6,9,12,15,18,21 | 7 |
| Mother Warmth | 1,4,7,10,13,16,20 | 7 |
| Father Autonomy Support | 23,26,29,32,35,38,40 | 7 |
| Father Involvement | 24,27,30,33,36,39,42 | 7 |
| Father Warmth | 22,25,28,31,34,37,41 | 7 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 1 = not at all true, 2 = 2, 3 = 3, 4 = somewhat true, 5 = 5, 6 = 6, 7 = very true.
The scale includes 16 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 7 to 49. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low Perceived Support/Involvement/Warmth: 7 – 21
- Moderate Perceived Support/Involvement/Warmth: 22 – 35
- High Perceived Support/Involvement/Warmth: 36 – 49
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Cronbach's alpha typically ranges from .75 to .90 for the 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.