Psychologische Ambivalenz in Eltern-Kind-Beziehungen: Entwicklung und Teststatistische Überprüfung eines Instrumentes zur direkten Konstruktabbildung

Besides the intergenerational solidarity paradigm, the concept of psychological ambivalence has emerged as a key dimension for the description of intergenerational relations. Psychological ambivalence is defined as the concomitant occurrence of contradictory motives, emotions, and action tendencies towards one person. The present study aimed at the development of a Questionnaire for the Measurement of Ambivalence in Parent-Child-Relations in Adulthood. It comprises k = 23 items that are available in a maternal and in a paternal version. Exploratory and confirmatory analyses were carried out on a sample of N = 210 young and middle-aged adults, and showed different two-factor structures for the two versions. Further, a short version of the questionnaire was developed that allows for comparisons between parental relationships. Examination of the psychometric properties of the scales revealed sound reliability. Further, first substantive evidence for the criterion validity of the scales is reported.