Validity issues with the family environment scale: Psychometric resolutionand research application with alcoholic families

Data from both mothers and fathers from 319 families were used to investiga te the internal psychometric properties, convergent validity, and clinical research utility of the Family Environment Scale (FES). Scales were validat ed against 16 self-report variables and 7 observational variables. Clinical research utility was investigated by comparing antisocial alcoholic (AAL) families, non-anti-social alcoholic (NAAL) families, and nonalcoholic contr ol families, Results identify 6 FES scales that fit a confirmatory factor a nalysis model well and that demonstrated good convergent validity. AAL fami lies differed from NAAL families on 5 of these scales. Findings caution aga inst the use of 4 FES scales, provide significant support for the internal psychometric properties and convergent validity of 6 FES scales, and demons trate the research utility of these scales for addressing research on alcoh olic families.