Factor Structure of the Self- and Informant-Report Versions of the Parenting Styles and Dimensions Questionnaire

The Parenting Styles and Dimensions Questionnaire (PSDQ), a widely used index of parenting, assesses authoritative, authoritarian, and permissive dimensions; however, there is little rigorous work to support this structure. In addition, research on the PSDQ has focused on maternal self-reports, leaving the structure of paternal self-reports and informant-reported caregiving poorly understood. We examined the structure of the PSDQ for mother and father self- and informant-report versions, using exploratory factor analyses, in 401 caregivers with 3-year-old children (Sample 1). A three-factor structure showed the best but not consistently acceptable fit; this was supported by confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs) conducted in a sample of 510 caregivers (Sample 2). Removing redundant items improved the fit of the CFAs, such that it was acceptable based on certain indices (i.e., RMSEA and SRMR). These findings support the continued use of the three-factor structure; however, they also indicate that certain items are not useful toward assessing contemporary parenting.