Convergent validity of the short-EMBU1 and the parental bonding instrument (PBI): Dutch findings

Abstract

Using a large sample of Spanish students (N = 796), Livianos-Aldana and Rojo-Moreno (1999) found poor evidence of convergent validity of the homologous dimensions that underlie the EMBU and the Parental Bonding Instrument. The Spanish findings however are neither in line with previous ones that were based on data collected in the Netherlands and Belgium in three independent, community and psychiatric patient samples, nor are they in line with new Dutch findings reported in the present study, that were obtained in a community sample (N = 236) when relating the PBI (by applying Kendler's three-dimensional model) to the equivalent, short (23-item) version of the original 81-item EMBU. Specifically, it was found that (1) homologous measures had sufficient variance in common so as to provide evidence of convergent validity (disattenuated rs ranged from 0.73 to 0.88); (2) EMBU Rejection, PBI Protectiveness and PBI Authoritarianism were significantly positively intercorrelated; (3) higher-order analysis (with oblique rotation) revealed two significantly, negatively intercorrelated second-order factors, namely Protection – Control and Warmth (Emotional warmth versus Hostility). These reduced further to a bipolar Control (attempts) versus Warmth superfactor at an even higher level. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.