PERCEIVED FAMILY FUNCTIONING AMONG ADOLESCENT PSYCHIATRIC-INPATIENTS - VALIDITY OF THE FAMILY-OF-ORIGIN SCALE

The Family-of-Origin Scale (FOS) is a 40 item, ten subscale self-repor t instrument designed to assess perceptions of family health. The scal e, based on the dimensions of Autonomy and Intimacy, has demonstrated reliability and validity with adolescents. The FOS was administered to 100 adolescent psychiatric inpatients concurrently with the Brief Sym ptom Inventory (BSI) to examine the scale's discriminant and construct validity. When compared with 100 non-clinical adolescents, the psychi atric inpatients perceived their family as less healthy on all FOS dim ensions. Perceived family health on the FOS was negatively and moderat ely correlated with the BSI dimensions. The findings provide psychomet ric and clinical support for the FOS with adolescents.