Original scientific paper
Validation of Children’s perception of interparental conflict scale
Ivana Macuka
orcid.org/0000-0002-8753-8991
; Sveučilište u Zadru, Odjel za psihologiju, Obala kralja Petra Krešimira IV, br.2, 23000 Zadar, Hrvatska
Irena Burić
orcid.org/0000-0001-9182-968X
; Sveučilište u Zadru, Odjel za psihologiju, Zadar, Hrvatska
Abstract
The aim of this study was validation of the Children’s Perception of Interparental Confl ict Scale (CPIC) (Grych, Seid and Finchman, 1992). Most of the research of the impact of parental confl ict on children’s adjustment applies only to parental reports of confl ict, even though parental assessment may underestimate the actual child’s experience of confl ict in the family. Therefore, measures that directly affect children’s perceptions of parental confl ict provide a more precise assessment of the meaning of conflict and the implications for children’s welfare. The study was conducted on 682 students (49% boys) aged 12-15 years. Croatian version of the Children’s Perceptions of Interparental Confl ict Scale is composed of 45 items measuring confl ict dimensions and children’s reaction and interpretation of parental confl ict, divided on 9 subscales (frequency, intensity, resolution, content, perceived threat, coping effi cacy, self-blame, triangulation and perceived stability). Based on conducted prinicipal component analysis, items of the scale can be grouped in the three higher order dimensions: 1. confl ict properties encompassing the frequency of conflicts between parents and the level of aggression, 2. experienced level of threat due to parental confl ict and 3. self-blame for the conflict between the parents. Analyses of internal consistency have shown high reliability of each confl ict dimension. Furthermore, all dimensions of children’s perceptions of parental confl ict signifi cantly correlated with the children’s adjustment defi ned through internalizing and externalizing symptoms.
Keywords
dimensions of interparental confl ict; child assessment; validation
Hrčak ID:
112811
URI
Publication date:
15.1.2014.
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