Conflict Tactics Scale – Self-Report about Own Parenting Behavior
Abstract: The original Conflict Tactics Scales measure consists of 80 items developed by Straus (1979) to explore intrafamily conflict and violence, focusing particularly on the adults in the family. The first 20 items are administered to the respondent about his/her relationship with the child. The measure assesses how the parent reacts in a conflict with the child, such as trying to discuss an issue calmly, yelling at or insulting the child, stomping out of the room or house, threatening to spank the child, and hitting or trying to hit the child. The items gradually become more coercive and aggressive as they progress. The items are rated on a seven-point scale, ranging from 0=never to 6=almost every day. The second 20 items capture the respondent’s report of his/her partner’s interaction with the child. The last 40 questions of the original measure address the interactions between the respondent and the respondent’s partner using the same questions. If the respondent did not have a partner in the last year, only the first 20 items are given. In year 28, Fast Track participants who reported actively parenting a child completed the 20 items capturing the respondent’s own relationship with his/her child.
Who Completed this Measure?: Target Child/Youth (now in adulthood)
Cohort 1 - Administrative History
- Year 28 | age 33-34
Cohort 2 - Administrative History
- Year 28 | age 33-34
Cohort 3 - Administrative History
- Year 28 | age 33-34
Technical Reports:
Raw Dataset Name: c28ec
Scored Dataset Name: CTO28
Is this Measure Available for Public Use?: Yes
Measure Items and Scales:
| c28ec01 | CT: Tried to discuss an issue calmly. |
| c28ec02 | CT: Did discuss an issue calmly. |
| c28ec03 | CT: Got information to back up your side of things. |
| c28ec04 | CT: Brought in or tried to bring in someone to help settle things. |
| c28ec05 | CT: Argued angrily, but didn’t yell. |
| c28ec06 | CT: Yelled, insulted or swore at your child. |
| c28ec07 | CT: Sulked or refused to talk about it. |
| c28ec08 | CT: Stomped out of the room or house. |
| c28ec09 | CT: Threw, smashed, hit, or kicked something. |
| c28ec10 | CT: Threatened to throw something at your child. |
| c28ec11 | CT: Threw something at your child. |
| c28ec12 | CT: Pushed, grabbed, or shoved your child. |
| c28ec13 | CT: Threatened to spank your child. |
| c28ec14 | CT: Spanked your child. |
| c28ec15 | CT: Spanked your child with something. |
| c28ec16 | CT: Threatened to hit your child. |
| c28ec17 | CT: Hit or tried to hit your child. |
| c28ec18 | CT: Hit or tried to hit your child with something. |
| c28ec19 | CT: Threatened to beat up your child. |
| c28ec20 | CT: Had a physical altercation with your child. |
| Scales | Items | Description |
| CTO28dis | c28ec01-04 | Conflict Tactics: Verbal Discussion |
| CTO28hos | c28ec07, 08, 09, 11 | Conflict Tactics: Hostile-Indirect |
| CTO28phy | c28ec12, 17, 18, 20 | Conflict Tactics: Physical Aggression |
| CTO28spk | c28ec14-15 | Conflict Tactics: Spanking |
| CTO28vag | c28ec05, 06, 10, 13, 16, 19 | Conflict Tactics: Verbal Aggression |