Innov Clin Neurosci. 2025;22(10–12):72–77.

by Anam Shahid, PhD; Alia Asmat, PhD; and Sunny Singh, MD

Dr. Shahid and Dr. Singh are with the Nova Scotia Health Authority in Sydney, Nova Scotia. Dr. Asmat is with the Department of Psychology at the University of Central Punjab in Lahore, Pakistan.

FUNDING: No funding was provided for this article.

DISCLOSURES: The authors declare no conflicts of interest relevant to the content of this article.

ABSTRACT: Parenting is the fundamental parent-child relationship process that impacts their lives. To better understand how adolescents perceive their parents’ attitudes and behaviors, it is important to adapt, translate, and validate the perceived parenting style questionnaire in Pakistani culture. Therefore, the study was carried out by using International Test Commission (ITC) protocols. In initial steps, forward and backward translation was carried out, and language equivalence was tested on a sample of 30 bilingual participants. In the final stages, reliability analysis was carried out and followed by confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Furthermore, construct validity was estimated through a structural equation model (SEM). The process comprised a convenient sampling technique to approach a sample size of 456 adolescents aged 13 to 17 years from nine districts of Punjab, Pakistan. The results of the item correlation showed a highly significant connection between the items of the Perceived Parenting Style Scale (PPSS). Cronbach’s alpha index was significantly high (r=0.93). According to CFA, the model fits accurately, as all values are approximately equivalent to the model’s ideal values. Moreover, PPSQ showed sound psychometric properties and emerged as a reliable and valid tool for measuring perceived parenting styles. Keywords: Adaptation, translation, validation, perceived parenting style, adolescents

Introduction

The arrival of a child signifies the beginning of a parent’s duties, which are shaped by their perception of their role as a caregiver.¹ If they believe it is right to raise their children in a strict environment, they will try to discipline them using their authority.² On the other hand, if a parent thinks that children grow best when they have the freedom to make their own choices, their parenting style will be characterized by a high degree of flexibility.³ Sometimes, the parenting styles adopted by mothers and fathers are not conducive to the positive development of the child, leading to behavioral issues. As a result, parenting practices that foster positive behavior and reduce the chances of behavioral problems should be adopted.⁴

A child’s first interaction is with their parents, so the foundation of socialization is linked to the child the spending time with their parents or primary caregivers.⁵ The quality of the interaction between parents and children sets the foundation for the child’s personality and behavior.⁶ Researchers have found that how parents interact with their children and control their behavior has a strong impact on the child’s behavior.⁷ Additionally, the level of friendliness and distance that parents create with their children through their behavior also shapes the child’s personality.⁸

The concept of parenting style was first introduced by Diana Baumrind,^9,10 who identified the idea of socialization, whereas Belsky’s model expands on this idea by providing a more comprehensive and accessible explanation.¹¹ Parents and their parenting style play a significant role in the socialization process of a child, which comprises adult interaction in the context of child development.⁹ Through socializing with their parents, children can adapt to their culture and become individuals with unique habits and values.¹²

Over the past few decades, efforts have been made to understand how child development occurs within a family and how parents influence their children’s developmental processes.¹³ Researchers have identified parenting style as a complex set of activities that can have a profound impact on the way a child sees themselves and behaves with others.¹⁴ Therefore, there are specific parenting behaviors that may affect the child’s developmental process. (Figure 1) For instance, authoritative parenting balances high responsiveness and high demands, fostering self-disciplined, high-achieving, and socially adept children. Authoritarian parenting, with high demands but low responsiveness, often leads to obedient but anxious and less socially skilled children. Permissive parenting, characterized by high responsiveness and low demands, produces children with good self-esteem and social skills but poor self-discipline and academic performance. Each style uniquely influences child development and behavior based on its balance of responsiveness and demands. Therefore, it is important to understand adolescents’ perception of how they perceive their parent’s behavior. Hence, the present study intends to measure the perceived parenting styles adopted for children’s development.

The diversity of the global population suggests a great need for cross-culturally validated research instruments or scales. Researchers and clinicians must have access to reliable and valid measures of concepts of interest in their own cultures and languages to conduct cross-cultural research and/or provide quality patient care. Although there are well-established methodological approaches for translating, adapting, and validating instruments or scales for use in cross-cultural research, a great variation in the use of these approaches continues to prevail in the healthcare literature. Therefore, the main aim of this study is to translate, adapt, and validate the Percevied Parenting Style Scale (PPSS).¹⁵

Methods

Research design. A web-based, cross-sectional, quantitative research design using a convenience sampling technique was employed to recruit participants for this study.

Measures. Demographic sheet. The demographic information included age (in years), sex (1 for male and 2 for female), education level (indicated by the participant’s current school grade), socioeconomic status (1 for upper, 2 for middle, and 3 for lower), number of family members (in numerical values), number of earning members in the family (in numerical values), monthly income (in numerical values), father’s occupation (as a statement), residential district (indicated by a numerical code), birth order (in numerical values), number of siblings (in numerical values), both parents alive (1 for yes and 2 for no), and the participant lives with both parents (1 for yes and 2 for no).

Perceived Parenting Style Scale. The PPSS, developed by Divya and Manikandan,¹⁵ assesses the perceptions of young adolescents regarding their parents’ parenting style across three dimensions: authoritarian, authoritative, and permissive. The scale consists of 30 items, and participants respond using a five-point Likert scale ranging from 1 to 5; 1 (never), 2 (rarely), 3 (sometimes), 4 (often) to 5 (always). Notably, this scale was initially developed in Hindi and subsequently translated into English by Diya and Manikandan in 2020. The scale’s reliability was evaluated using Cronbach’s alpha, which was found to be 0.86. Overall, this scale is a useful tool for assessing young adolescents’ perceptions about parenting styles.

The procedure of adaptation and translation. The current study adhered to the adaptation and translation procedures recommended by the International Test Commission (ICT).¹⁶ This multiphase process involves several intricate steps to ensure the cultural and linguistic equivalence of the adapted version. Before initiating this procedure, formal permission was obtained from the copyright authors of the PPSS. By adhering to these rigorous standards, the study aimed to ensure the robustness and validity of the adapted versions of the scales in accurately measuring the constructs of interest across diverse cultural and linguistic contexts.

Phase I: Adaptation and translation. This phase is divided into four stages.

Stage I: Forward translation. In this stage, three independent bilingual translations were obtained from experts. All had 16 years of education and ensured their proficiency in both languages (English and Urdu). Additionally, the translation was distributed to two additional master’s degree–holding Urdu language experts to rate each item on a three-point scale, for example, “To what extent do the following statements (in Urdu) represent the same meaning as the original English statements?” with options ranging from 1 (to a great extent/full) to 3 (not at all).

Later on, to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the translated version of the questionnaire, additional measures were taken by the researchers. A team of three fluent experts who possess substantial experience in adaptation and translation was organized. All experts were faculty members of the Psychology University of Central Punjab and had significant expertise in the field. The team conducted a thorough examination of three different translations and ultimately produced a finalized version adjusted to align with the language and culture of the study population. The overarching objective was to develop a high-quality Urdu version of the survey that effectively measures the intended constructs within the studied community.

Stage II: Backward translation. To make sure the adapted versions were both linguistically and conceptually equivalent, three expert translators fluent in both languages performed a back-translation process. These translators had master’s degrees in English and were chosen carefully to ensure they had not seen the original English versions of the PPSS. Consequently, three separate back-translations were produced for this scale.

Following this, a second committee of three specialists, each with 16 years of education in psychology or the English language, thoroughly analyzed the back-translated items. The main objective of this committee was to ensure that the items in the Urdu version accurately reflected the intended meaning of the English version items. Particular attention was paid to the intellectual significance of the terminologies and expressions used in both the English and Urdu versions.

By integrating the outcomes of the prior two stages, the items for the Urdu version scales were then finalized. This rigorous process aimed to ensure the robustness and validity of the adapted scales in measuring the intended constructs with accuracy and consistency across diverse cultural and linguistic contexts.

Stage III: Cross-language validation. After the finalization of the translation process, the PPSS was subjected to cross-validation with the original English version to analyze the quality of the translated version through empirical equivalence. A sample of 30 students, aged between 13 and 17 years, was selected for cross-language validation. All participants were students with educational backgrounds ranging from matriculation to second year and possessed a good understanding of both the Urdu and English languages. The participants were selected using the convenience sampling technique and were randomly assigned to two groups: one group was given the English version first, while the other group was given the Urdu version first. Two weeks later, both groups were given another set of questions. The responses on both versions were calculated and the results were noted in Table 1. This comparison helped confirm that the translated version was similar to the original English version in a practical sense.

Stage IV: Pilot testing. In a pivotal phase, the researchers conducted a trial of the newly developed Urdu version to assess its effectiveness and comprehensibility for the intended demographic. Ten participants, equally divided between male and female individuals, aged 13 to 17 years and enrolled in matriculation studies were selected for the trial.

Considering the participants’ status as minors, the researchers obtained parental consent before administering the questionnaire and provided a clear explanation of the research objectives. In the course of the trial, participants were provided explicit instructions and encouraged to express any confusion regarding the questionnaire. They were given assurance that their responses would be kept confidential and anonymous throughout the process.

Completing the questionnaire took participants approximately 20 to 25 minutes, with the majority of questions being answered without difficulty. However, a few items presented challenges, prompting researchers to revise those specific sections. The trial findings indicated that, overall, the Urdu version was perceived as easy to comprehend and engaging, although some participants found it to be lengthy. These trial results played a crucial role in refining the Urdu version of the questionnaire to ensure its appropriateness for the target demographic.

Phase II: Internal consistency and construct validiting of Perceived Parenting Style Scale – Urdu version. The researchers used advanced statistical software, including SPSS 25.0 and AMOS 21, to perform validity and reliability analyses. We specifically examined internal consistency, construct validity, and interitem correlations. The detailed results of these analyses, presented in Table 2, offer a comprehensive overview of the psychometric properties of the translated questionnaires. These analyses are crucial for confirming that the translated versions of the questionnaires accurately and reliably measure the intended constructs.

Participants and procedure. The study aimed to validate a psychometric questionnaire designed to assess adolescent perceptions of parenting style. This questionnaire was administered as an online survey via Google Docs and included demographic information such as age, sex, education, residential area, and socioeconomic status (Table 3). The survey targeted adolescents aged 13 to 17 in nine districts of Punjab, using convenience sampling techniques. Before accessing the survey questions, online consent was obtained from the parents or guardians of the adolescents.

To ensure an adequate sample size, the researchers followed the 5:1 rule, recruiting five participants for each questionnaire item, resulting in an initial target sample size of 205. However, data were collected from 500 participants to account for potential outliers. A normality test was conducted, leading to the removal of 44 outliers before performing the main analysis.

Reliability of PPSS. To ensure the reliability of the PPSS, the researchers used Cronbach’s alpha coefficient. The results demonstrated that the PPSS, which measures parenting styles, had a high-reliability score of 0.96. This high score indicates that the PPSS is a dependable tool for understanding parenting styles among teenagers. The specific parenting styles—authoritative, authoritarian, and permissive—also showed substantial reliability, with scores ranging from 0.91 to 0.95.

Additionally, the researchers assessed the interitem correlations to determine how similarly the questions were measuring the same concepts. As detailed in Table 2, the correlations were moderate to high, suggesting that the questions and subscales were likely measuring similar aspects of parenting styles.

Overall, these findings endorse the PPSS as a reliable and valid tool for measuring parenting styles among adolescents. Researchers and practitioners can confidently use these scales to assess these important aspects, knowing they are dependable and accurate. The reliability scores were 0.91 for authoritative, 0.94 for authoritarian, 0.95 for permissive, and 0.96 for the overall PPSS, confirming its reliability and validity.

Phase III: Psychometric properties of PPSS. Following the confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), a structural equation model (SEM) was utilized to validate and scrutinize if the factors being measured were operating as anticipated. SEM, a statistical technique, aids in evaluating a proposed model and estimating the relationships between different variables.

Through these analyses, a comprehensive assessment was conducted to ensure the efficacy of the questions in the PPSQ in measuring their intended constructs. This process serves as a robust test, affirming the proficiency of these scales in measuring parenting style and peer pressure in teenagers. The outcomes of this analysis instill confidence among researchers and practitioners, affirming the validity of these scales and their ability to precisely measure perceived parenting style and peer pressure in adolescents.

Results

The scale has three subfactors: authoritative, authoritarian, and permissive. Additionally, information about how well the tested model fits can be found in Table 4.

Upon analyzing the outcomes of the CFA for the PPSS (Urdu version), the researchers observed a favorable model fit. The chi-square test, which is highly sensitive to sample size and the number of estimated parameters in structural equation modeling (SEM), indicated a satisfactory fit (χ²(402)=816.749, p<0.05). However, given the limitations of relying solely on the Chi-square statistic, the researchers assessed additional model fit indicators, including the comparative fit index (CFI), root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA), and standardized root mean square residual (SRMR), to obtain a more comprehensive understanding of model fit. Consistent with recommended criteria, the researchers aimed for a χ²/df ratio between 0 and 3, and RMSEA and SRMR values below 0.08, which collectively signify an acceptable and well-fitting model. Furthermore, a CFI value of 0.90 or higher is generally considered indicative of good model fit, with values approaching 0.95 or above reflecting excellent fit. Overall, these indices provide a comprehensive evaluation of model fit and aid in determining the overall quality of the tested model shown in Figure 2.

The researchers evaluated the reliability, convergent validity, and discriminant validity of the PPSS using CFA. The results indicated that the values of the composite reliability coefficient (CRC) and average variance extracted (AVE) surpassed the recommended threshold of 0.50.^17,18 This suggests strong reliability and convergent validity based on established standards.^19,20

To ensure the reliability and validity of the measurement tools, the researchers employed two recommended methods for assessing discriminant validity. The first method involved comparing the values obtained for each scale with their correlations with all other measured constructs. The second method ensured that the average variance for a factor exceeded the shared variance with all other factors.^19,20

Discussion

This study aims to translate, culturally adapt, and validate the PPSS in Urdu for Pakistani adolescents. Following the guidelines of the ICT for forward and backward translation procedures, we rigorously executed the translation and adaptation process to ensure precision and conceptual transferability.

Various statistical analyses were employed to ascertain the validity and reliability of the adapted scales. Initial analyses indicated normal data distribution, and the translated version exhibited high alpha reliabilities, signifying reliability comparable to the English version. Additionally, factor analysis revealed three factors for the PPSS: authoritative, authoritarian, and permissive. This factor solution remained consistent with the original scale, reinforcing the reliability and validity of the adapted Urdu version.

CFA was then conducted to confirm the factor structure, and the results indicated a good model fit, suggesting that the PPSS was appropriately adapted for Pakistani adolescents. All CFA factor loadings were greater than 0.30, demonstrating that each item contributed meaningfully to its respective factor and was culturally relevant within the Pakistani context. Additionally, psychometric properties were evaluated using structural equation modeling (SEM). Convergent validity for the PPSS was assessed through the Average Variance Extracted (AVE), which exceeded the recommended threshold of 0.50; in this case, AVE values were greater than 0.60, indicating strong convergent validity. Composite reliability (CR) was also calculated for each latent variable as well as for the overall scale. All CR values met the accepted criterion of 0.70 or above, reflecting adequate internal consistency and supporting the construct reliability of the PPSS.

Furthermore, McDonald’s Construct Reliability (MaxR(H)) was calculated to provide an additional estimate of the internal consistency of the culturally adapted scales, offering a more robust reliability assessment than Cronbach’s alpha for latent variable models. Divergent (discriminant) validity for the PPSS subdomains was examined using the Maximum Shared Variance (MSV) and the square root of the Average Variance Extracted (√AVE). For adequate discriminant validity, the √AVE of each construct should exceed the correlations between that construct and other latent variables, and the MSV should be lower than the AVE. In this study, the square root of the AVE was greater than the interconstruct correlations, and MSV values were lower than AVE values, demonstrating that each PPSS subdomain was conceptually distinct and measured unique aspects of parenting practices.

Collectively, these findings show that the adapted PPSS is a reliable and valid instrument for use among Pakistani adolescents. Establishing strong reliability and validity is essential because culturally appropriate and psychometrically sound measures help researchers and clinicians accurately assess parenting practices, which are known to play a significant role in adolescent behavioral outcomes, including susceptibility to substance use. Such validated scales can inform future research and guide the development of prevention and intervention programs tailored to the Pakistani cultural context.

Implications for Research and Practice

The successful adaptation and validation of the Urdu version of the PPSS bear positive implications for both research and practice. This tool now holds utility in cross-cultural studies, enabling investigations into how adolescents perceive parenting styles and fostering a nuanced comprehension of cultural variations in parenting dynamics. Professionals working with Urdu-speaking populations have the opportunity to leverage this validated instrument for assessing and customizing interventions. This utilization is based on culturally informed insights into parenting perceptions, enhancing the effectiveness of their work.

Limitations and Future Research Directions

Despite the valuable contributions of the study, it exhibits certain limitations. The reliance on convenience sampling and self-report measures may introduce biases in participant selection and responses. To mitigate these constraints, future research endeavors may benefit from employing more diverse and representative sampling techniques. Furthermore, enhancing the robustness and reliability of findings could be achieved by incorporating multi-method assessments, including observational measures of parenting behaviors.

Conclusion

In conclusion, this study deepens the understanding of adolescent development in Urdu-speaking populations through a well-executed adaptation and validation of the PPSS. The findings contribute to the broader discourse on parenting styles and their influence on adolescent outcomes, highlighting the importance of culturally sensitive measurement tools for a more profound comprehension of these intricate dynamics. Future research endeavors should persist in exploring the nuanced interplay between cultural contexts, parenting styles, and adolescent development, aiming to provide insights that can inform both research and practical applications across diverse cultural settings.

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