Parental Monitoring Scale
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About Parental Monitoring Scale
Scale Name
Parental Monitoring Scale
Author Details
Voydanoff & Donnelly
Translation Availability
English

Background/Description
The Parental Monitoring Scale is a brief yet effective measure designed to assess how consistently parents are aware of their children’s activities and social interactions when the children are not at home. The scale captures the frequency with which parents monitor their adolescents’ whereabouts and peer interactions, providing insights into the role of parental oversight in adolescent behavior and development.
The scale is particularly relevant for understanding protective and risk factors in adolescent psychological adjustment, academic performance, and overall well-being.
Administration, Scoring and Interpretation
- Target Population: Adolescents aged 12–18 (Grades 7–12).
- Instructions:
- Clearly explain the purpose of the scale to participants and ensure confidentiality.
- Administer the two-item self-report questionnaire to the adolescent respondents.
- Response options range from 5 = Almost all the time to 0 = Practically never.
- Emphasize honest responses to reflect true parental monitoring behaviors.
- Scoring Procedures
- Responses to both items are scored on a 0–5 scale.
- Add the scores of the two items to obtain a total score.
- Interpretation:
- Higher scores indicate higher levels of parental monitoring.
- Lower scores suggest less frequent parental oversight.
Reliability and Validity
- Reliability:
- The original internal consistency reported by the authors is 0.66.
- A subsequent study by the Center for Applied Research found an improved alpha reliability of 0.77 in a sample of 1360 inner-city youth.
- Validity:
- The scale has been used in studies exploring the relationship between parental monitoring, adolescent psychological adjustment, and academic outcomes, supporting its construct validity.
Available Versions
02-Items
Reference
Voydanoff, P., & Donnelly, B. W. (1999). Risk and protective factors for psychological adjustment and grades among adolescents. Journal of Family Issues, 20(3), 328-349.
Important Link
Scale File:
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: What does the Parental Monitoring Scale measure?
It measures the frequency with which parents are aware of their children’s activities and social interactions when they are away from home.
Q2: How many items are included in the scale?
The scale consists of 2 items.
Q3: Who can use this scale?
It is designed for adolescents aged 12–18 (Grades 7–12).
Q4: How is the scale scored?
Responses range from 0 = Practically never to 5 = Almost all the time, and the total score is obtained by summing the responses to the two items.
Q5: Is permission required to use this scale?
No, permission is not required to use this scale.
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