Range of Validated quantitative tools and scales that can be used to measure the outcomes of children’s centre
work 2013 1
Tool 1: Parental Stress Scale (questionnaire attached)
Component being measured:
• Attempts to measure the levels of stress experienced by parents.
• Takes into account positive and negative aspects of parenting.
Why this outcome matters?
Higher levels of parental stress related to:
• Lower levels of parental sensitivity to the child
• Poorer child behaviour
• Lower quality of parent – child relationship.
In particular, provides evidence related to Children’s Centres work to ‘improve parenting’ and Core
Purpose goal of ‘improving parenting skills’
Tool details:
• Developed by Berry and Jones (1995) as an alternative to the 101-item Parenting Stress Index.
• Provides a measure that considers positive aspects of parenting as well as the negative, ‘stressful’
aspects traditionally focused on.
Format of the tool:
• 18 – item self report scale – items represent positive (e.g. emotional benefits, personal
development) and negative (demands on resources, restrictions) themes of parenthood.
• Respondents agree or disagree in terms of their typical relationship with their child or children
• 5 – Point scale; strongly disagree, disagree, undecided, agree, strongly agree.
Use of the tool:
What can the tool help to assess?
• Changes in parental stress levels for parents/carers who have accessed targeted support, such as
family support, parenting courses and one to one parenting support.
• The outcomes of services or areas of work focused on improving parents/carers parenting capacity.
Practical administration:
• Self completion or could be administered as an interview.
• The scale is relatively short and easy to administer – can be completed in less than 10 minutes.
• Can be used as a before and after measure.
Scoring the tool :
We want a low score to signify a low level of stress, and a high score to signify a high level
of stress.
