Parent and Adolescent Versions of the Diabetes-Specific Parental Support for Adolescents’ Autonomy Scale: Development and Initial Testing
Abstract
Objective To develop and initially test the psychometric properties of parent and adolescent versions of the Diabetes-Specific Parental Support for Adolescents’ Autonomy Scale. Methods Data-based scale items were developed, analyzed for content validity, and then piloted with 43 adolescents with type 1 diabetes and their parents. Psychometric properties of the scales were then determined with 100 adolescents with type 1 diabetes and their parents. Results Content validity indices of .80 or greater were obtained for 26 items. Item analysis in the pilot and large-sample groups resulted in 22 items being deleted. Principal Components Analysis of the remaining four items indicated one factor in both parent and adolescent versions, accounting for 50–62% of variance and with Cronbach alpha coefficients of .67–.80. Conclusions This newly developed parsimonious scale, initially tested to be reliable, and valid, will facilitate research on parental support for adolescents’ development of diabetes management autonomy.