Family/Parenting

Assess this item with reference to the youth’s most recent past.  Most often questions should be assessed on the last 6 to 12 month time period.

Family Circumstances and Parenting

1. Inadequate supervision:  Check this item if parents leave the youth unattended, are not aware of the activities of the youth, do not have supervisory controls in place (i.e. calling and checking in, neighbor checking in, etc.) or, in your judgment, otherwise exercise inadequate supervision of the youth.  Check this item if the youth is absent for long periods of time that the parent does not know about.  A household with working parents does not automatically warrant checking of this item. Check this item if the youth is living independently, without supervision.
2. Difficulty in controlling behavior:  Check this item if the parents have problems in exercising control over the youth’s behavior (the youth disobeys parental instructions and is out of control). Also check this item if the youth is living independently and his/her behavior is not controlled.  
3.  Inappropriate discipline:  Check this item if there is an excessive use of corporal punishment, frequent use of yelling or threats as the only form of discipline, overly strict rules or otherwise poor disciplinary practices on the part of the parents.  A lack of discipline can also warrant checking of this item.
4. Inconsistent parenting:  Check this item if the parents are inconsistent in the application of rules or in the use of punishment.  This can include internal inconsistency with one parent or inconsistency between two parents.  Also check this item if the parents cannot articulate clear rules regarding homework, curfews, or friends.

5. Poor relationship father/child:  Check this item if there is a particularly hostile, alienated, or uncaring relationship between the father and the youth (though not necessarily an abusive relationship).  If the father (or father figure) is deceased, check this item if there continues to be a poor relationship with the remaining father figure.  This item should be assessed on the father or primary father figure in the youth’s life. In cases where there is a natural father and a stepfather, based your evaluation on the most prominent relationship over the past year.  Check this item if the youth rarely sees or writes to his/her father, argues with him when they are together, if the relationship ranges from dislike to hatred, or the youth does not care what his/her father thinks, feels, or expects.

   • If there is no father figure, score the item based on the youth’s feelings about the lack of relationship.

6. Poor relationship mother/child:  Check this item if there is a particularly hostile, alienated, or uncaring relationship between the mother and the youth (though not necessarily an abusive relationship).  If the mother (or mother figure) is deceased, check this item if there continues to be a poor relationship with the remaining mother figure.  This item should be assessed on the mother or primary mother figure in the youth’s life. In cases where there is a natural mother and a stepmother, based your evaluation on the most prominent relationship over the past year.  Check this item if the youth rarely sees or writes to his/her mother, argues with her when they are together, if the relationship ranges from dislike to hatred, or the youth does not care what his/her mother thinks, feels, or expects.

   • If there is no mother figure, score the item based on the youth’s feelings about the lack of relationship.

(03-2007)