Psychometric Properties of the Spanish Version of the Relationship Problems Questionnaire for Parental Assessment of Attachment Disorders in Children and Adolescents

Background: Spain lacks standardized and validated instruments for assessing reactive attachment disorder (RAD) in children and adolescents. This study examines the psychometric properties of the relationship problems questionnaire (RPQ) in a Spanish sample of parents of minors aged 4–19 (mean [M] = 11.61; standard deviation [SD] = 4.23; 53% female). Participants were drawn from nonclinical populations, with no reported neurodevelopmental disorders or mental health conditions. The RPQ assesses inhibited and disinhibited behaviors associated to attachment difficulties. Methods: Following a rigorous back-translation process, the RPQ was administered to 200 participants (84% female), along with the strengths and difficulties questionnaire (SDQ) to test convergent validity in relation to emotional and behavioral problems. Results: Internal consistency proved adequate across RPQ subscales. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) supported an acceptable model fit (root mean square error of approximation [RMSEA] = 0.06; comparative fit index [CFI] = 0.93; incremental fit index [IFI] = 0.93). Significant positive correlations between RPQ and SDQ scores provided evidence of convergent validity. Percentile norms were developed and women reported significantly higher scores than men. Conclusions: The Spanish RPQ shows good reliability and validity, providing a valuable tool for identifying attachment-related behaviors in children and adolescents.