Parental Alienation: A Measurement Tool Confirmatory Factor Analysis Validation Study

Abstract

ABSTRACT Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted to evaluate the factor structure of the Rowlands Parental Alienation Scale (RPAS). The RPAS was administered to 521 parents along with measures of convergent and discriminant validity. The eight-factor model proposed in the original study, which included the eight domains posited in the literature, and the proposed six-factor model identified in the original study through exploratory factor analysis, which included five of the original eight domains, i.e. campaign of denigration towards the alienated parent, the independent thinker phenomenon, reflexive support, presence of borrowed scenarios, spread of animosity to extended family, and one not included in the original eight domains, lack of positive affect towards the alienated parent, were tested through confirmatory factor analysis procedures. The more parsimonious six-factor model fit the data better than the eight- factor model, i.e. the CFI for the six- factor model was higher and both the RMSEA and the SRMR values of the six-factor model were lower. All constructs had both convergent and discriminant validity. Parents who reported either that a court evaluation or court findings had confirmed the presence of parental alienation scored significantly higher on all six RPAS factors as well as on the overall RPAS score.