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Parental Support for Fighting – Multisite Violence Prevention Project
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About Parental Support for Fighting – Multisite Violence Prevention Project
Scale Name
Parental Support for Fighting – Multisite Violence Prevention Project
Author Details
Multisite Violence Prevention Project (MVPP) (2004a), adapted from Pamela Orpinas, Nancy Murray, and Steven Kelder (1999)
Translation Availability
English
Background/Description
The Parental Support for Fighting scale, developed by the Multisite Violence Prevention Project (MVPP) in 2004 and adapted from Orpinas, Murray, and Kelder (1999), is a youth-report questionnaire designed to measure students’ perceptions of their parents’ support for aggressive and non-aggressive solutions as means of resolving conflicts. Targeting middle school students in grades 6-8 (ages 11-14) in urban settings, the scale was part of the MVPP’s efforts to assess family influences on youth violence. Cited in Dahlberg et al. (2005), it aligns with social learning theory (Bandura, 1977), examining how perceived parental attitudes shape youth conflict resolution behaviors.
The scale comprises 8 items (4 per subscale) rated on a 4-point Likert scale (1 = “never” to 4 = “often”). Examples include “My parents say it’s okay to fight to solve problems” (aggressive solutions) and “My parents encourage me to talk things out” (non-aggressive solutions). Scores are summed per subscale (range: 4-16 each), with higher scores indicating greater perceived support for each approach. Validated in urban samples, it is used to assess parental influence, predict youth aggression, and inform violence prevention programs.
Psychologists, educators, and public health researchers use the scale to evaluate perceived parental attitudes, design interventions, and study conflict resolution patterns. Its dual-subscale structure is a strength, but moderate internal consistency and English-only availability limit reliability 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 MVPP publications, ensuring ethical use permissions.
- Explain the purpose to respondents, noting that it assesses perceptions of parental support for conflict resolution to promote positive behavior, emphasizing anonymity and using age-appropriate, non-judgmental language.
- Provide instructions, asking students to rate their parents’ support for aggressive and non-aggressive solutions over the past month, using the 4-point scale.
- Approximate time for completion is 2-3 minutes, given the 8-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 Support for Fighting scale has moderate psychometric properties, as reported in Dahlberg et al. (2005). Internal consistency is acceptable but low, with Cronbach’s alpha of 0.62 for aggressive solutions and 0.66 for non-aggressive solutions, indicating limited item cohesion, likely due to the small number of items per subscale. Test-retest reliability is not reported, but stability is inferred to be moderate based on similar attitudinal measures (r ≈ 0.50-0.70 over weeks).
Convergent validity is supported by correlations with related constructs, such as increased youth aggression for perceived support of aggressive solutions (r ≈ 0.20-0.40) and reduced aggression for non-aggressive solutions (r ≈ -0.15 to -0.35). Discriminant validity is inferred from weaker correlations with unrelated constructs, like academic performance (r < 0.30). Criterion validity is demonstrated by its use in predicting youth violence outcomes in MVPP studies. Factor analyses are not detailed, but the two-factor structure (aggressive, non-aggressive solutions) supports construct validity. The moderate reliability suggests cautious use, ideally paired with validated measures like the Parental Attitudes Toward Use of Aggression (Dodge et al., 1994).
Available Versions
10-Items
Reference
Project, M. V. P. (2004). The multisite violence prevention project: background and overview. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 26(1), 3-11.
Orpinas, P., Murray, N., & Kelder, S. (1999). Parental influences on students’ aggressive behaviors and weapon carrying. Health Education & Behavior, 26(6), 774-787.
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 Support for Fighting scale measure?
It measures students’ perceptions of parental support for aggressive and non-aggressive conflict resolution.
Who can use the scale?
Psychologists, educators, and researchers studying middle school students (grades 6-8).
How long does the scale take to complete?
It takes about 2-3 minutes.
Is the scale specific to certain groups?
It targets urban middle school students in grades 6-8.
Can the scale inform interventions?
Yes, but moderate reliability (α = 0.62-0.66) suggests use with validated measures.
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