Utilization of the Alabama Parenting Questionnaire across Family Structures: Do the Same Constructs Apply?

Abstract

America has experienced a marked increase in non-nuclear family structures over the last five decades. The evolution of more diverse family systems has led some researchers to eschew a “one size fits all” approach to parenting assessment, as these measures may neglect or misconstrue parent-child dynamics unique to non-nuclear families. The current study examined the underlying factor structure of the Alabama Parenting Questionnaire (APQ) in two distinct family structures to determine if parenting constructs were replicated across groups. Participants included 246 mothers from single parent and two-parent households in Louisiana. Statistical analyses included exploratory factor analysis, replication analysis, hierarchical regression analysis, and tests of interaction. Although one positive parenting construct was evident across family structures, the basic structural replication of the remaining constructs failed. Results also indicated that the original, theoretically-derived parenting constructs of the APQ demonstrated low reliability and internal consistency among the single parent sample. Finally, while increased levels of inconsistent discipline were predictive of increased conduct problems and child aggression in the two-parent sample, neither parenting constructs nor demographic variables were significant predictors of mother-reported behavior problems in children from single parent households. Overall, the current study failed to provide clear evidence to suggest that parenting constructs operate differently depending on family composition. Additional research will be beneficial in determining the degree to which family structure impacts parenting behavior.