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The Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI): an epidemiological study in a general population sample
A J Mackinnon1, A S Henderson, R Scott
1NH & MRC Social Psychiatry Research Unit, Australian National University, Canberra.
Psychological Medicine
|November 1, 1989
Summary
The Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI) reliably measures parental relationships. Findings suggest PBI scales are stable and not linked to personality traits or psychiatric disorders in the general population.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Psychiatry
- Sociology
Background:
- Parental bonding significantly influences individual development and mental well-being.
- The Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI) is a widely used tool for assessing perceived parental care and overprotection.
Purpose of the Study:
- To validate the two-factor structure and temporal stability of the PBI in a community sample.
- To investigate the associations between PBI scales and demographic factors, personality traits, and psychiatric disorders.
Main Methods:
- A 2-wave community survey was conducted with 386 participants.
- The Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI) was administered to assess perceived parental bonding.
- Covariance structure analysis was employed to examine scale stability and associations, controlling for age and measurement error.
Main Results:
- The two-factor structure of the PBI was confirmed, demonstrating high scale stability over time.
- Respondents with children differed significantly from those without children.
- No significant associations were found between PBI scales and social desirability, neuroticism, extraversion, or psychiatric disorders.
Conclusions:
- The PBI is a psychometrically sound instrument for assessing parental bonding in community samples.
- Parental bonding, as measured by the PBI, appears independent of common personality traits and psychiatric diagnoses in the general population.
- Further research is warranted to explore the affectionless control construct in both community and clinical populations.