Factor Analyses and Score Validity of the Family Emotional Involvement and Criticism Scale in an Adolescent Sample

Abstract

The factor structure of the Family Emotional Involvement and Criticism Scale (FEICS) is tested in a sample of Irish adolescents. Participants were 661 adolescents with a mean age of 15.9 years ( SD = 1.26). Interpretation of both the exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis of the FEICS show support for the two-factor structure of the FEICS with a Perceived Criticism scale and an Emotional Involvement scale. The reliabilities of the subscale scores at both phases were comparable. Validity analyses showed moderate to low positive correlations between the Perceived Criticism scale scores and scores on the problem areas of the Symptom Checklist–90–Revised (SCL-90-R). There were small, consistent negative correlations between the Emotional Involvement scale scores and symptom dimension scores of the SCL-90-R. It is concluded that the FEICS is a psychometrically sound instrument for assessing perceptions of perceived criticism but less so for emotional involvement in adolescents.