Development of a scale for mother’s cognition of father’s parenting time following divorce and investigation of its reliability and validity

Abstract

The aim of this study was to develop the Mother’s Cognition of Father’s Parenting Time following divorce (MCFPT) scale and examine its reliability and validity. MCFPT items were developed from a questionnaire administered to 281 divorced mothers living with their children. Factor analysis identified six factors that influence mothers’ cognition of fathers’ parenting time: (a) belief that fathers’ parenting time benefits children, (b) concerns about their own safety and the safety of their children, (c) concerns about remarriage, (d) expectations of financial support, (e) jealousy of the father, and (f) disappointment with the father’s lack of interest in the children. These factors had a high degree of internal consistency. The MCFPT scale was significantly correlated with the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Caregiving System Scale, and others. The effect of the manner in which the divorce took place, children’s age, violence perpetrated by the father, and the father’s parenting time on MCFPT were evaluated using the t-test or one-way ANOVA. The MCFPT scale is reliable and valid for measuring mothers’ cognition of fathers’ parenting time after divorce.