PSYCHOMETRIC PROPERTIES OF THE FAMILY ALLOCENTRISM-IDIOCENTRISM SCALE WITH SPANISH ADOLESCENTS

Family allocentrism is defined as a specific collectivist attribute referring to the family in which family goals are given priority over personal ones. There is evidence that the relationship with the family contributes to psychological wellbeing. However, reliable measures for family allocentrism evaluation are needed. The objective of this study was to validate the Family Allocentrism-Idiocentrism Scale (FAIS; Lay et al., 1998) with Spanish adolescents and to examine its psychometric properties. A total of 695 students aged between 13 and 18 years participated. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the one-dimensional structure of the original model. The indices of internal consistency and test-retest reliability were adequate. The validity analyses showed positive and significant correlations with measures of collectivism, and negative or low correlations with measures of individualism and depression. Older adolescents were found to have lower levels of family allocentrism and general collectivism. No sex differences were found. This study validates an instrument to assess family allocentrism in a vulnerable population in the development of psychological problems.