Parent Form
Please circle the response that best shows how you and your child usually communicate.
1. I can discuss my beliefs with my child without feeling restrained or embarrassed.
2. Sometimes I have trouble believing everything my child tells me.
3. My child is always a good listener.
4. I am sometimes afraid to ask my child for what I want.
5. My child has a tendency to say things to me which would be better left unsaid.
6. My child can tell how I’m feeling without asking.
7. I am very satisfied with how my child and I talk together.
8. If I were in trouble‚ I could tell my child.
9. I openly show affection to my child.
10. When we are having a problem‚ I often give my child the silent treatment.
11. I am careful about what I say to my child.
12. When talking with my child‚ I have a tendency to say things that would be better left unsaid.
13. When I ask questions‚ I get honest answers from my child.
14. My child tries to understand my point of view.
15. There are topics I avoid discussing with my child.
16. I find it easy to discuss problems with my child.
17. It is very easy for me to express all my true feelings to my child.
18. My child nags/bothers me.
19. My child insults me when s/he is angry with me.
20. I don’t think I can tell my child how I really feel about some things.
Teen form
Circle the answer that best shows how you communicate with your mother or father. Circle which parent you are filling out this form for by circling mother or father.
CIRCLE: Mother OR Father
1. I can discuss my beliefs with my mother/father without feeling restrained or embarrassed.
2. Sometimes I have trouble believing everything my mother/father tells me.
3. My mother/father is always a good listener.
4. I am sometimes afraid to ask my mother/father for what I want.
5. My mother/father has a tendency to say things to me that would be better left unsaid.
6. My mother/father can tell how I’m feeling without asking.
7. I am very satisfied with how my mother/ father and I talk together.
8. If I were in trouble‚ I could tell my mother/father.
9. I openly show affection to my mother/father.
10. When we are having a problem‚ I often give my mother/father the silent treatment.
11. I am careful about what I say to my mother/father.
12. When talking to my mother/father‚ I have a tendency to say things that would be better left unsaid.
13. When I ask questions‚ I get honest answers from my mother/father.
14. My mother/father tries to understand my point of view.
15. There are topics I avoid discussing with my mother/father.
16. I find it easy to discuss problems with my mother/father.
17. It is very easy for me to express all my true feelings to my mother/father.
18. My mother/father nags/bothers me.
19. My mother/father insults me when s/he is angry with me.
20. I don’t think I can tell my mother/father how I really feel about some things.
- positive aspects
- communication
This instrument can be found on page 91-95 of Assessing Outcomes in Child and Youth Programs: A Practical Handbook‚ available online at: http://fyi.uwex.edu/topic/youth/
Reliability: Alpha coefficients of both subscales and the total scale have been found to be in the .78 to .92 range.
Point values are assigned as follows:
1= Strongly Disagree
2= Moderately Disagree
3= Neither Agree or Disagree
4= Moderately Agree
5= Strongly Agree
There are two subscales: one measures positive aspects of communication (items 1‚ 3‚ 6‚ 7‚ 8‚ 9‚ 13‚ 14‚ 16‚ 17) and the other measures problems in communication (items 2‚ 4‚ 5‚ 10‚ 11‚ 12‚ 15‚ 18‚ 19‚ 20). The subscales can be used separately or combined for a total family communication score.
Items in each subscale are summed to arrive at a subscale score. The higher the subscale score the more positive (or problematic) the communication. First reverse the scores of all items in the problems subscale. All 20 items can be combined for an overall assessment of parent-adolescent communication. First reverse the scores of all items in the problems subscale. Then add all 20 items together.
Permission: Permission to use these scales can be obtained from Dr. David Olson‚ Family Social Science‚ University of Minnesota‚ 290 McNeal Hall‚ 1985 Buford Ave. St Paul‚ MN 55108.
Barnes‚ H.L.‚ & Olson‚ D.H. (1982). Parent adolescent communication scales. Olson‚ D.H.‚ et al. (Eds.). Family inventories‚ (pp. 33-48). St Paul: Family Social Science‚ University of Minnesota.