Demographic correlates and factor structure of the Family Environment Scale

Area of Science:

• Psychological Assessment
• Family Studies
• Social Environment Measurement

Background:

• Traditional psychological assessments often overlook environmental influences.
• Systematic measurement of social environments can enhance assessment validity.
• The Family Environment Scale (FES) is a developed instrument for assessing family environments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To factor analyze Family Environment Scale (FES) subscale scores.
• To correlate FES scores with family demographic characteristics.
• To evaluate the FES's utility in multimethod family assessments.

Main Methods:

• Factor analysis of FES subscale scores from 204 families.
• Correlation analysis between FES scores and demographic variables.
• Examination of interpersonal relationships, personal development, and organizational structure via FES.

Main Results:

• Two major factors emerged: 'control' and 'acceptance-rejection'.
• Family size correlated positively with control and negatively with acceptance.
• Socioeconomic status correlated positively with cultural and recreational participation.

Conclusions:

• The FES is a valuable tool for multimethod family environment assessments.
• Demographic characteristics significantly influence FES scores.
• Normative data for the FES should be adjusted for relevant demographics.