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This article primarily reviews current assessment measures for assessing the parenting of young children. Although there is significant research linking parenting with numerous child outcome variables, there are relatively few psychometric ally and theoretically strong parent assessment measures. Parenting may be considered in terms of parent behaviors, children's needs, parent-child relationships, family dynamics, and the social-cultural milieu. Focusing on parent behaviors and parent-child relationships, this article highlights a number of measures which are pertinent to clinical and research use. In addition, some contemporary parent education programs are discussed briefly.
Research links parenting with a host of child outcome variables, such as academic achievement (Collins, Maccoby, Steinberg, Hetherington, & Bornstein, 2000), cognitive development (Ryan, Martin, & Brooks-Gunn, 2006), dropping out of school (Marcus & Sanders-Reio, 2001), and emotional regulation (Dallaire et al., 2006). Further, parenting is related to children's social-emotional development in terms of misbehavior (DelVecchio & O'Leary, 2006), socialemotional adjustment (Brook, Zheng, Whiteman, & Brook, 2001), and social skills (Rhoadcs & O'Leary, 2007). Although these linkages are firmly presented in the research literature, there seems to be relatively little interest in assessing parenting in school and clinical settings. Yet, parent assessment, as well as parent education, is critical in order to address to the needs of children and their families. In assessing children, practitioners can focus not only on the individual child but take a broader perspective, capturing children's individual strengths and needs as well as the child's family dynamics and environmental milieu.
In contrast to child cognitive and social-emotional assessment instruments (e.g., Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fourth Edition, Behavior Assessment System for Children-Second Edition), there is no "gold standard" in terms of measures regarding parenting. Even so, there are many parenting measures that are currently being used although they vary along a number of dimensions. For example, some can be used in clinical practice (e.g., to identify dysfunctional parenting styles) and others were designed for research use. In addition, the instruments vary according to what they assess, and although some measure parenting globally, others assess specific parenting behaviors (e.g., discipline). The target populations for assessment also differ, with some designed for parents of children from specific age groups and others specifically for mothers or fathers. Further, other factors are in play in...