Abstract
The aim of this study was to provide preliminary findings on the reliability and the validity of the Italian Child Abuse Potential (CAP) Inventory, a screening tool that measures parents’ potential for child physical abuse. The CAP Inventory and measures on parenting stress (Parenting Stress Index–Short Form [PSI-SF]) and parents’ perceptions of child adjustment (Child Behavior Checklist [CBCL]) were administered in a nonclinical sample of Italian parents ( N = 551) with a 2- to 6-year-old child. The Abuse scale showed adequate internal consistency (α = .87), with significantly negative correlations between socioeconomic status and educational level of the parents. Also, the Abuse scale scores were significantly predicted by high levels of parenting stress and by parental negative perceptions of the child’s behavior. Finally, using a cut score for the English version of the Abuse scale (where 95% of parents would be expected to be classified), 93.8% of Italian parents were classified as nonabusive by the Abuse scale. These results supported the cross-cultural generalizability of the Abuse scale. However, complementary studies with abusive samples are needed to verify the ability of the instrument to discriminate between abusive and nonabusive parents also in the Italian population.
Highlights
After removing 51 questionnaire sets that were not fully completed, there were a total of 551 respondents who completed the questionnaires of which 284 were filled out by the mothers (59.7% response rate) and 267 by the fathers (56.1% response rate)
To establish preliminary data on Italian scores of the Child Abuse Potential (CAP) Inventory, mean scale score and standard deviations were calculated for the Abuse scales, three validity scales, and six factor scales
The reliability of the Italian translation of the CAP Inventory was tested by using the internal consistency reliability check, Cronbach’s alpha coefficient, for the Abuse scale, six factor scales, and three validity scales
Summary
Some important theoretical constructs underpinning the CAP Inventory appear to be applicable to the Italian population. The purpose of the present study was to provide preliminary data on the reliability and validity of the CAP Inventory in a nonclinical sample of Italian parents. The main objectives were to evaluate the use of CAP Inventory in assessing the risk for physical child abuse in Italian parents by (a) administering an Italian translation of the CAP Inventory to a sample of Italian parents (mothers and fathers) to establish data on Italian scores, (b) presenting preliminary findings on validity indexes (Lie scale, RR scale, and Inconsistency scale), (c) examining the distribution of Abuse scale scores and its relationships with demographic characteristics of parents (age, sex, marital status, educational level, and socioeconomic status), (d) examining the construct validity of the Abuse scale by analyzing its factorial structure and its relationships with self-reported parenting stress and parents’ perceptions of child psychological maladjustment (internalizing and externalizing symptoms), and (e) comparing the Abuse scale cutoff of U.S parents, which are reported at the instrument’s manual, with Abuse scale scores of Italian parents. Regarding construct validity, we hypothesized that the Abuse scale scores would be positively associated with parenting stress and with parental perceptions of maladjustment of children (in terms of internalizing and externalizing symptoms)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
