A Critical Evaluation of the Parenting Stress Index-Short Form (PSI-SF) in a Head Start Population
Abstract
Examines psychometric characteristics of the 36-item Parenting Stress Index-Short Form (PSI-SF) in a low-income, predominantly minority population. Relations between the PSI-SF, demographic, and psychosocial factors associated with parenting stress were examined. Internal consistencies for the PSI-SF were very good to excellent. However, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) indicated that a 3-factor model comprised of Parental Distress, Difficult Child, and Parent-Child Dysfunctional Interaction subscales was only marginally superior to a single-factor model. A series of multiple regression analyses examining the relation of psychosocial and demographic measures to PSI-SF subscales were more supportive of the 3-factor model proposed by Abidin (1995). As anticipated, the PSI-SF Difficult Child subscale was most strongly associated with a measure of child oppositionality, and the Parental Distress subscale was most highly associated with self-reported psychological symptoms and low income. Parent-Child Dysfunctional Interaction was associated with parent reports of psychological symptoms as well as low income and education. The results appear to support the use of the PSI-SF with lower socioeconomic, primarily African American mothers. Additionally, the data provide indirect support for the generalizability of a 3-factor model of parenting stress.
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Parenting stress levels in our sample were substantially higher when compared with a prior study with predominantly African American parents whose preschool-aged children were enrolled in Head Start (raw M = 86.6, SD = 25.3, percentile = 63 versus raw M = 73.44, SD = 25.56, percentile = 45).
“Parenting stress levels in our sample were substantially higher when compared with a prior study with predominantly African American parents whose preschool-aged children were enrolled in Head Start (raw M = 86.6, SD = 25.3, percentile = 63 versus raw M = 73.44, SD = 25.56, percentile = 45; Reitman et al., 2002).”
From Parenting Stress, Child Social Functioning, and Part C Early Intervention in Predominantly Low-Income Families of Children With or at High Risk for Developmental Delay From Minoritized Racial and Ethnic Groups (2023) · cites this paper as Reitman et al., 2002
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- Authors
- Reitman, D., Currier, R. O., & Stickle, T. R.
- Affiliations
- Nova Southeastern University (US)
- Louisiana State University (US)
- LSU New Orleans (US)
- Venue
- Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2002-08
- Volume
- 31
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 384-392
- ISSN
- 1537-4416 (ISSN-L)
- 1537-4424
- OpenAlex
- W1966704309
- Cited by
- 471
- References
- 5
- Citations by year
- 2026: 10 · 2025: 15 · 2024: 16 · 2023: 25 · 2022: 21 · 2021: 38 · 2020: 37 · 2019: 26 · 2018: 18 · 2017: 22 · 2016: 30 · 2015: 28 · 2014: 29 · 2013: 30 · 2012: 23
- FWCI
- 4.87
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- NSUWorks (Nova Southeastern University) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
- Social Sciences › Decision Sciences › Management Science and Operations Research › Psychometric Methodologies and Testing
- Social Sciences › Demography › Family Dynamics and Relationships
- Keywords
- Parenting Stress Index-Short Form, parental stress, psychometric properties, factor structure, Head Start, low-income households, African American mothers, parental distress, parent-child dysfunctional interaction, psychological symptoms, socioeconomic status, child behavior problems
- MeSH terms
- Child, Preschool, Female, Humans, Male, Parents, Psychometrics, Surveys and Questionnaires, Stress, Psychological, Parenting, Early Intervention, Educational
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