The parental problem-solving measure: Further evaluation with maltreating and nonmaltreating parents

Inability to solve problems related to parenting and other aspects of daily living is hypothesized to result in frustration or inability to cope, and contribute to the occurrence of problematic parental behavior such as physical abuse or neglect. The present investigation evaluated the Parental Problem-Solving Measure (PPSM), a procedure for measuring parental problem-solving skill of maltreating and nonmaltreating parents. Subjects were 60 parents with at least one child between the ages of 2 and 12. Subjects belonged to one of three groups: (a) physically abusive and/or neglectful parents (n=27); (b) nonmaltreating clinic parents seeking help for child behavior problems (n=12); and (c) nonmaltreating, non-help-seeking community parents (n=21). Results demonstrated the interrater reliability, internal consistency, and temporal stability of the PPSM and its five subscales. Support is also provided for the convergent and discriminant validity of the measure.