Perception of Parental Reciprocity Scale (POPRS): Development and Validation with Adolescents and Young Adults

The present paper describes the development of a new scale, the Perception of Parental Reciprocity Scale (POPRS), and research findings obtained with this instrument. Based on Youniss' (1980) theory, this scale assesses the extent of perceived mutual reciprocity in adolescents'/young adults' relations with their parents. An initial pool of 51 items was administered to 141 unmarried undergraduates along with measures of self‐esteem, locus of control, and consultant choice to indicate construct validity. Item analyses and reliability procedures produced a 43‐item scale. A second study of 1602 students between the ages of 13 and 25 examined further issues: cross‐replication, cross‐validation, reliability with young adolescents, reliability over time, criterion and construct validity, and age‐related differences in scores. In addition to POPRS and the scales used in Study 1, measures included three global statements, attachment to parents, attitude to private personal authority, and scores on an open‐ended interview. Results from both studies demonstrated high reliability, and construct and criterion validity. Furthermore, a significant age effect supports Youniss' theory of a developmental transformation in parent‐child relations beginning in late adolescence and continuing in early adulthood.