Facing a Fundamental Problem in Prevention Science: the Measurement of a Key Construct

• Published in: Prevention science Vol. 18; no. 3; pp. 322 - 325
• Main Author: Eddy, J. Mark
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01-04-2017; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Behavior; Child and School Psychology; Commentary; Families & family life; Health care policy; Health Psychology; Institutes; Intervention; Measurement techniques; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Outcome Assessment, Health Care - statistics & numerical data; Parenting; Prevention; Preventive Medicine; Public Health; Reproducibility of Results; Researchers; Science; Scientists; New York; United States > US; Parenting; Measurement; Validity; Reliability
• ISSN: 1389-4986; 1573-6695
• DOI: 10.1007/s11121-017-0747-7

While many attempts have been made to measure various aspects of parenting within a variety of theoretical frameworks, there remains much work to do on the development of reliable and valid measures. Common themes across the papers included in a special issue on the measurement of parenting are discussed. Parenting constructs are a vital part of the work of prevention scientists, and more support is needed for researchers to engage in measurement development. Fortunately, there are some bright spots in this regard today, such as the Common Fund Science of Behavior Change Program sponsored by the National Institutes of Health.