Sprague-Jones, J., Counts, J., Rousseau, M., & Firman, C. (2019). The development of the Protective Factors Survey, 2nd edition: A self-report measure of protective factors against child maltreatment. Child Abuse & Neglect, 89, 122–134. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2019.01.008
Number of participants: Two samples (N=213 and N=109)
Population:
- Race/Ethnicity — 29.6–30.3% Hispanic/Latino, 29.4–29.6% African American, 26.6–28.6% White, 4.6–5.2% Multiracial, 1.9–4.6% Asian, 1.4–2.8% Prefer not answer, 0.9–2.3% Native American/Alaskan Native, 0.9% Other, & 0.5–0.9% Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
Summary:
The purpose of this study was to revise the PFS in response to feedback from practitioners and analyze the internal structure of new items. A team of researchers generated new items informed by the literature on protective factors against child maltreatment and best practices in survey design to address feedback from the field and improve sensitivity to change. They conducted focus groups with caregivers and practitioners to review new items, and then fielded revised items using panel data. They conducted exploratory factor analyses to obtain a small, integrated set of items that tap the targeted protective factors. Exploratory factor analyses yield a five-factor solution accounting for 54.1% of the variance. Items were removed due to low loadings, nontrivial cross-loadings, and parsimony, yielding a final scale with 24 items. Coefficient alphas for all subscales were within the acceptable range of 0.70, with Family Functioning and Resilience =0.88; Nurturing and Attachment =0.78; Social Supports=0.83; Concrete Supports=0.80; and Caregiver/Practitioner Relationship =0.77. Initial evidence from the panel data suggests that the new subscales are internally consistent. Future research will establish reliability and validity.