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Parental Attitudes Toward Drug Use – Seattle Social Development Project
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About Parental Attitudes Toward Drug Use – Seattle Social Development Project
Scale Name
Parental Attitudes Toward Drug Use – Seattle Social Development Project
Author Details
Michael W. Arthur, J. David Hawkins, John A. Pollard, Richard F. Catalano, and A. J. Baglioni Jr. (2002)
Translation Availability
English
Background/Description
The Parental Attitudes Toward Drug Use – Seattle Social Development Project, developed by Michael W. Arthur, J. David Hawkins, John A. Pollard, Richard F. Catalano, and A. J. Baglioni Jr. in 2002, is a youth-report questionnaire designed to measure youths’ perceptions of their parents’ attitudes about drinking and smoking. Targeting students aged 11-18 (grades 6-12), the scale was part of the Seattle Social Development Project, a longitudinal study aimed at identifying risk and protective factors for youth problem behaviors. Cited in Dahlberg et al. (2005), it aligns with social development theory (Hawkins & Weis, 1985), assessing how perceived parental disapproval of substance use influences youth behavior.
The scale comprises 4 items rated on a 4-point Likert scale (1 = “very wrong” to 4 = “not wrong at all”). Examples include “How wrong do your parents feel it is for you to drink alcohol?” and “How wrong do your parents feel it is for you to smoke cigarettes?” Scores are summed (range: 4-16), with higher scores indicating more permissive parental attitudes. Validated in urban and diverse samples, it is used to assess parental influence, predict substance use, and inform prevention programs.
Psychologists, educators, and public health researchers use the scale to evaluate parental attitudes as perceived by youth, design substance use interventions, and study protective factors. Its brevity and good reliability are strengths, though its youth-only perspective and English-only availability may limit comprehensive assessment and cross-cultural use.
Administration, Scoring and Interpretation
- Obtain a copy of the scale from authorized sources, such as Dahlberg et al. (2005) Measuring Violence-Related Attitudes, Behaviors, and Influences Among Youths or Seattle Social Development Project publications, ensuring ethical use permissions.
- Explain the purpose to respondents, noting that it assesses perceptions of parental attitudes toward substance use to support healthy development, emphasizing anonymity and using age-appropriate, non-judgmental language.
- Provide instructions, asking students to rate their parents’ disapproval of drinking and smoking, using the 4-point scale.
- Approximate time for completion is 1-2 minutes, given the 4-item format.
- Administer in a classroom or research setting, using paper or digital formats, ensuring a private environment. Oral administration may be used for students with reading difficulties.
Reliability and Validity
The Parental Attitudes Toward Drug Use – Seattle Social Development Project demonstrates good psychometric properties, as reported in Dahlberg et al. (2005). Internal consistency is acceptable, with Cronbach’s alpha of 0.78, indicating reasonable item cohesion. Test-retest reliability is not reported, but stability is inferred to be moderate based on similar attitudinal measures (r ≈ 0.60-0.80 over weeks).
Convergent validity is supported by correlations with related constructs, such as reduced youth substance use for perceived parental disapproval (r ≈ -0.25 to -0.45) and family bonding (r ≈ 0.20-0.40). Discriminant validity is evidenced by weaker correlations with unrelated constructs, like academic performance (r < 0.30). Criterion validity is demonstrated by its ability to predict substance use outcomes in longitudinal studies. Factor analyses are not detailed, but the scale’s unidimensional focus supports construct validity. The good reliability supports its use, though pairing with parent-reported measures (e.g., Family Relationship Characteristics, Tolan et al., 1997) can enhance accuracy.
Available Versions
03-Items
Reference
Dahlberg, L. L., Toal, S. B., Swahn, M. H., & Behrens, C. B. (2005). Measuring violence-related attitudes, behaviors, and influences among youths: A compendium of assessment tools. Centers for disease control and prevention.
Important Link
Scale File:
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Parental Attitudes Toward Drug Use – Seattle Social Development Project measure?
It measures youths’ perceptions of parental attitudes toward drinking and smoking.
Who can use the scale?
Psychologists, educators, and researchers studying students aged 11-18.
How long does the scale take to complete?
It takes about 1-2 minutes.
Is the scale specific to certain groups?
It targets urban students aged 11-18.
Can the scale inform interventions?
Yes, it supports substance use prevention with good reliability (α = 0.78).
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