Validation of the Multidimensional Assessment of Parenting: An application of item response theory.

Abstract

Parenting is a critical mechanism contributing to child and adolescent development and outcomes. The Multidimensional Assessment of Parenting Scale (MAPS) is a new measure that aims to address gaps in the literature on existing self-report parenting measures. Research to date on the MAPS includes essential steps of scale development and validation; however, replicating scale dimensionality and examining differential item functioning (DIF) based on child age and a parent or child gender is a critical next step. The current study included 1,790 mothers and fathers of sons and daughters, spanning childhood to adolescence in the United States. Item response theory (IRT) confirmed initial factor-analytic work revealing positive and negative dimensions; however, the best-fitting multidimensional model included six nested dimensions from the original seven. A few notable items displayed DIF based on child age and parent gender; however, DIF based on child gender had minimal impact on the overall score. Future directions, clinical implications, and recommendations are discussed. Public Significance StatementThis study evaluated a self-report parenting questionnaire by analyzing how responses to each question related to dimensions of parenting behavior and investigated whether that differed depending on the gender of the parent or the age and gender of the child. Questions about spanking and physical affection measured parenting dimensions differently across these demographic groups.

Assessing parenting in racially and ethnically diverse families: A lack of measurement equivalence.

“…In considering this limitation, we realize that intersectionality matters and testing for interactions between gender and race, for example, may be important. Because equivalence by parent and child gender was supported in previous research (Loiselle et al, 2021), however, we have confidence in the results from this study. Nevertheless, these findings do not preclude the possibility that intersecting identities and socioeconomic status may influence measurement equivalence by ethnoracial groups.…”

“…Furthermore, the results from this study were limited to ethnoracial differences which may be influenced by other variables, including for example, whether the child had a clinical diagnosis, gender of the child and parent, as well as economic and education levels. Though the equivalence of the MAPS by child age, parent gender, and child gender has been tested and has been generally supported (Loiselle et al, 2021; Parent & Forehand, 2017), measurement equivalence by ethnoracial groups has not been tested. As such, a reasonable next step was to focus on testing measurement equivalence of the MAPS by ethnoracial groups.…”

“…Despite the strong theoretical and empirical support for the development of the MAPS (Parent & Forehand, 2017), questions remain regarding the generalizability of the MAPS to more ethnoracially diverse families considering theoretical and empirical work suggesting that parenting constructs may not be universally applicable. Though the equivalence of the MAPS by child age, parent gender, and child gender has been tested (Loiselle et al, 2021; Parent & Forehand, 2017), measurement equivalence by ethnoracial groups has not been tested. Therefore, in the present study, we combined data across multiple studies to ensure sufficient a sample size of White non-Hispanic, Black, Asian, and Hispanic parents when examining measurement equivalence.…”

How can organizations measure the integration of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria? Validation of an instrument using item response theory to capture workers' perception

“…In this context, Item Response Theory (IRT) offers powerful tools for validating research instruments by examining how well individual items discriminate between different levels of the latent construct (e.g., the impacts of ESG criteria on corporate sustainability performance) (Siraji et al, 2023). It enables the evaluation of item characteristics, such as item difficulty, discrimination, and information, providing insights into the psychometric properties and measurement precision of the instrument (Barbosa, Bueno da Silva, Morioka, et al, 2021; Loiselle et al, 2021). Employing IRT enhances the reliability, validity, and measurement precision of research instruments, enabling accurate assessments of ESG impacts on sustainability and informing evidence‐based decision‐making for sustainable business practices (Andersson et al, 2022; Fernandes & Bornia, 2019).…”