Review of scales of parenting confidence

Interest in the measurement of parenting confidence in research and clinical contexts has grown considerably in recent decades, particularly in the area of health care. Psychometric and technical characteristics of scales assessing this construct suitable for the parents of children aged 0-12 years were reviewed in this research. In so doing, information is provided that will assist clinicians and researchers in selecting a measure suitable to their needs. Thirty-six instruments assessing parenting confidence were located. Two dominant approaches to item selection were evident: (1) general items suitable for a range of child ages, or (2) task-specific items suitable for parents of a child of a particular age. Psychometrically, most scales possessed adequate reliability data, although validity data for many scales was limited. In addition, only two of the instruments, both with general items, had stratified normative data. Scales appropriate for a range of research purposes and some clinical applications are available. Further research is necessary to provide normative data for task-specific parenting confidence scales.