Evidence-based assessment in pediatric psychology: Family measures

ObjectiveTo provide a review of the evidence base of family measures relevant to pediatric psychology.MethodTwenty-nine family measures were selected based upon endorsement by Division 54 listserv members, expert judgment, and literature review. Spanning observational and self-report methods, the measures fell into three broad assessment categories: Family functioning, Dyadic family relationships, and Family functioning in the context of childhood chronic health conditions. Measures were categorized as: Well-established, Approaching well-established, or Promising.ResultsNineteen measures met well-established criteria and the remaining ten were approaching well-established. Well-established measures were documented for each of the broad assessment categories named above.ConclusionsMany measures deemed well-established in the general population are proving to be reliable and useful in pediatric samples. More evidence of the validity of family measures is needed in this context. This review should prove helpful to clinicians and researchers as they strive to make evidence-based decisions regarding family measures.