Reliability and validity of an observation-based parent-child interaction rating scale for Chinese children aged 0-6...

Area of Science:

• Developmental Psychology
• Child Psychology
• Family Studies

Background:

• Assessing parent-child interactions is crucial for understanding child development and family dynamics.
• Existing tools may require adaptation for specific cultural contexts, such as China.
• The parent-child interaction rating scale (IRS) is a widely used measure needing validation in diverse populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the parent-child interaction rating scale (IRS-C).
• To assess the reliability (internal consistency and test-retest) and validity (factor structure and convergent validity) of the IRS-C.
• To determine the suitability of the IRS-C for evaluating parent-child interactions in Chinese children aged 0-6 years.

Main Methods:

• Recruited 346 parent-child dyads from four Chinese cities.
• Videotaped parent-child interactions in a laboratory setting, coded by trained professionals.
• Employed confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) for structural validity and the Dyadic Parent-Child Interaction Coding System (DPICS) for convergent validity.

Main Results:

• The IRS-C demonstrated strong internal consistency (Kuder-Richardson 20 = 0.855) and test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.809).
• Confirmatory factor analyses supported a five-factor structure for both child and caregiver domains in the Chinese sample.
• Significant correlations between IRS-C and DPICS scores confirmed convergent validity.

Conclusions:

• The IRS-C is a reliable and valid instrument for assessing parent-child interactions in Chinese children.
• The findings support the use of the IRS-C in research and clinical practice involving Chinese families.
• This validated scale contributes to culturally sensitive evaluations of parent-child relationships.