Perceptions of Parents Scales (POPS)
The Child Scale
Name: ________________________________
Teacher: _____________________________
Boy or Girl (circle one) Age: _________________________________
Things About My Parents
We are interested to know more about your mother and your father. First we will ask about your mother‚ and then we will ask about your father.
Each number is followed by four statements that describe four different types of parents. For some‚ there will be a description of four types of mothers‚ and for others there will be descriptions of four types of fathers. In either case‚ read the four statements about the four types of mothers or fathers‚ and decide which one is the best description of your own mother or father. Different people’s mothers and fathers are different‚ and we want to know about yours.
Now please think about your mother and compare her to these descriptions of people’s mothers. If you do not ever spend time with your mother but another woman lives in your household instead‚ please respond about that woman. So‚ begin with number 1‚ and read the four descriptions. If your mother is most like the mothers in
the first statement‚ then circle the letter a in front of that statement. If she is most like the mothers in the second statement‚ then circle the letter b in front of that statement. If she is most like the mothers in the third statement‚ then circle the letter c in front of that statement. If she is most like the mothers in the fourth statement‚ then circle the letter d in front of that statement.
1.
a. Some mothers never have enough time to talk to their children.
b. Some mothers usually don't have enough time to talk to their children.
c. Some mothers sometimes have enough time to talk to their children.
d. Some mothers always have enough time to talk to their children.
2.
a. Some mothers always explain to their children about the way they should behave.
b. Some mothers sometimes explain to their children about the way they should behave.
c. Some mothers sometimes make their children behave because they're the boss.
d. Some mothers always make their children behave because they're the boss.
3.
a. Some mothers always ask their children what they did in school that day.
b. Some mothers usually ask their children what they did in school that day.
c. Some mothers usually don't ask their children what they did in school that day.
d. Some mothers never ask their children what they did in school that day.
4.
a. Some mothers always get very upset if their children don't do what they're supposed to right away.
b. Some mothers sometimes get very upset if their children don't do what they're supposed to right away.
c. Some mothers sometimes try to understand why their children don't do what they're supposed to right away.
d. Some mothers always try to understand why their children don't do what they're supposed to right away.
5.
a. Some mothers always have the time to talk about their children's problem.
b. Some mothers sometimes have the time to talk about their children's problem.
c. Some mothers don't always have the time to talk about their children's problem.
d. Some mothers never have the time to talk about their children's problem.
6.
a. Some mothers never punish their children; they always talk to their children about what was wrong.
b. Some mothers hardly ever punish their children; they usually talk to their children about what was wrong.
c. Some mothers usually punish their children when they've done something wrong without talking to them very much.
d. Some mothers always punish their children when they've done something wrong without talking to them at all.
7.
a. Some mothers always tell their children what to do.
b. Some mothers sometimes tell their children what to do.
c. Some mothers sometimes like their children to decide for themselves what to do.
d. Some mothers always like their children to decide for themselves what to do.
8.
a. Some mothers always think it's OK if their children make mistakes.
b. Some mothers sometimes think it's OK if their children make mistakes.
c. Some mothers always get angry if their children make mistakes.
d. Some mothers sometimes get angry if their children make mistakes.
9.
a. Some mothers never want to know what their children are doing.
b. Some mothers usually don't want to know what their children are doing.
c. Some mothers sometimes want to know what their children are doing.
d. Some mothers always want to know what their children are doing.
10.
a. Some mothers always get upset when their children don't do well in school.
b. Some mothers sometimes get upset when their children don't do well in school.
c. Some mothers hardly ever get upset when their children don't do well in school.
d. Some mothers never get upset when their children don't do well in school.
11.
a. Some mothers always like to talk to their children's teachers about how they are doing in school.
b. Some mothers sometimes like to talk to their children's teachers about how they are doing in school.
c. Some mothers usually don't like to talk to their children's teachers about how they are doing in school.
d. Some mothers never like to talk to their children's teachers about how they are doing in school.
Now‚ please think about your father. If you do not see your father but some other man lives in your household‚ please respond about that man.
12.
a. Some fathers never have enough time to talk to their children.
b. Some fathers usually don't have enough time to talk to their children.
c. Some fathers sometimes have enough time to talk to their children.
d. Some fathers always have enough time to talk to their children.
13 .
a. Some fathers always explain to their children about the way they should behave.
b. Some fathers sometimes explain to their children about the way they should behave.
c. Some fathers sometimes make their children behave because they're the boss.
d. Some fathers always make their children behave because they're the boss.
14.
a. Some fathers always ask their children what they did in school that day.
b. Some fathers usually ask their children what they did in school that day.
c. Some fathers usually don't ask their children what they did in school that day.
d. Some fathers never ask their children what they did in school that day.
15.
a. Some fathers always get very upset if their children don't do what they're supposed to right away.
b. Some fathers sometimes get very upset if their children don't do what they're supposed to right away.
c. Some fathers sometimes try to understand why their children don't do what they're supposed to right away.
d. Some fathers always try to understand why their children don't do what they're supposed to right away.
16.
a. Some fathers always have the time to talk about their children's problem.
b. Some fathers sometimes have the time to talk about their children's problem.
c. Some fathers don't always have the time to talk about their children's problem.
d. Some fathers never have the time to talk about their children's problem.
17.
a. Some fathers never punish their children; they always talk to their children about what was wrong.
b. Some fathers hardly ever punish their children; they usually talk to their children about what was wrong.
c. Some fathers usually punish their children when they've done something wrong without talking to them very much.
d. Some fathers always punish their children when they've done something wrong without talking to them at all.
18.
a. Some fathers always tell their children what to do.
b. Some fathers sometimes tell their children what to do.
c. Some fathers sometimes like their children to decide for themselves what to do.
d. Some fathers always like their children to decide for themselves what to do.
19.
a. Some fathers always think it's OK if their children make mistakes.
b. Some fathers sometimes think it's OK if their children make mistakes.
c. Some fathers always get angry if their children make mistakes.
d. Some fathers sometimes get angry if their children make mistakes.
20.
a. Some fathers never want to know what their children are doing.
b. Some fathers usually don't want to know what their children are doing.
c. Some fathers sometimes want to know what their children are doing.
d. Some fathers always want to know what their children are doing.
21.
a. Some fathers always get upset when their children don't do well in school.
b. Some fathers sometimes get upset when their children don't do well in school.
c. Some fathers hardly ever get upset when their children don't do well in school.
d. Some fathers never get upset when their children don't do well in school.
22.
a. Some fathers always like to talk to their children's teachers about how they are doing in school.
b. Some fathers sometimes like to talk to their children's teachers about how they are doing in school.
c. Some fathers usually don't like to talk to their children's teachers about how they are doing in school.
d. Some fathers never like to talk to their children's teachers about how they are doing in school.