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The Parental Attitudes Toward Psychological Services Inventory: Adaptation and Development of an Attitude Scale

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Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to provide psychometric data on the Parental Attitudes Toward Psychological Services Inventory (PATPSI), which is a revised measure to assess parents’ attitudes toward outpatient mental health services. Using a sample of adults (N = 250), Study 1 supported a 3-factor structure (RMSEA = .05, NNFI = .94, and CFI = .94), adequate internal consistency (ranging from .72 to .92), and test–retest reliability (ranging from .66 to .84). Additionally, results indicated that individuals with previous use of mental health services reported more positive views toward child mental health services. Study 2 provided confirming evidence of the 3-factor structure (NNFI = .94, RMSEA = .08, and the CFI = .95) and adequate reliability (ranging from .70 to .90) using a parent-sample (N = 260). Additionally, discriminate validity of the PATPSI was supported. Implications for research and clinical practice are discussed.

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Acknowledgments

The author would like to thank his committee members and colleagues for their guidance, Robert W. Heffer, Amanda Jensen Doss, Antonio Cepeda-Benito, and Jeffery Liew. Additionally, special thanks to those who assisted with the research project: Dr. Heffer’s pediatric/clinical child psychology research team; Tammy D. Barry (University of Southern Mississippi) and her students; and Beth H. Garland (Texas Children’s Hospital). This work was supported by a dissertation grant awarded to the author by the TAMU Department of Psychology.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Behavioral Psychology, Kennedy Krieger Institute, 720 Aliceanna Street, Suite 204, Baltimore, MD, 21202, USA

    Erlanger A. Turner

  2. Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21202, USA

    Erlanger A. Turner

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  1. Erlanger A. Turner
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Correspondence to Erlanger A. Turner.

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This research was completed as partial requirement for a Doctor of Philosophy degree in clinical psychology through the Department of Psychology at Texas A&M University (TAMU) in College Station, Texas.

Appendix

Appendix

Directions: For each item, indicate whether you strongly disagree (0), disagree (1), somewhat disagree (2), somewhat agree (3), agree (4) or strongly agree (5). The term “psychological problems” refer to reasons one might visit a professional. Similar terms include: mental health concerns, emotional problems, mental troubles, and personal difficulties. The term “professional” refers to individuals who have been trained to deal with mental health problems (e.g., psychologist, psychiatrist, social workers, and physicians).

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Turner, E.A. The Parental Attitudes Toward Psychological Services Inventory: Adaptation and Development of an Attitude Scale. Community Ment Health J 48, 436–449 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-011-9432-7

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