Family Hardiness Index (FHI)

Abstract

The Family Hardiness Index (FHI) is a widely utilized psychological instrument designed to assess the internal strengths and sense of control within a family unit when confronting stressful life events. Developed by McCubbin, McCubbin, and Thompson, the FHI operationalizes the concept of hardiness at the family level, adapting the individual hardiness model proposed by Kobasa. It serves as a crucial measure in the context of Family Stress Theory, providing insight into a family’s capacity for stability and effective coping, thereby predicting adjustment and potential for resilience in the face of adversity. The scale consists of 20 items rated on a 4-point Likert scale.

Keywords

Family Hardiness Index, FHI, Family Stress Theory, psychological measurement, family coping, commitment, control, challenge, resilience, family assessment.

Authors

M.A. McCubbin, H.I. McCubbin, A.I. Thompson

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Purpose

The primary purpose of the FHI is to quantify the degree of family hardiness present within a system. This construct is viewed as an internal resource or buffer that protects the family from the potentially damaging effects of stress and crisis. By measuring this resource, researchers and clinicians can identify families at risk and tailor interventions aimed at enhancing their internal coping mechanisms and overall stability.

The scale is instrumental in research focused on understanding the variance in family outcomes following significant life transitions, chronic illness, or traumatic events. It provides a means to assess the family’s worldview—specifically, their collective sense of meaning, ability to influence events, and willingness to engage with challenges rather than avoid them.

Construct

The FHI measures family hardiness, a complex psychological construct characterized by a combination of attitudes, beliefs, and behavioral patterns that reflect commitment, control, and challenge. These components parallel the core dimensions of individual hardiness but are applied to the collective family system.

The scale is often analyzed across specific dimensions, which include:

• Commitment: A sense of purpose, meaning, and engagement in family life, and a belief in the importance of standing together.
• Confidence: The belief that the family possesses the necessary resources and strength to manage large problems effectively.
• Challenge: The tendency to view change and stressful life events as opportunities for growth and learning rather than as threats or burdens.
• Control: The collective belief that family members can influence and shape the outcomes of their experiences, rather than feeling helpless or victimized by external forces.
• Co-orientation: This relates to the family’s ability to coordinate efforts and maintain unity, ensuring mutual support and shared problem-solving during difficult times.

Validity

Studies supporting the FHI generally report strong evidence of construct validity. The FHI scores have been consistently shown to correlate negatively with measures of family stress, dysfunction, and poor psychological outcomes for individual family members. Conversely, scores typically correlate positively with measures of family functioning, adaptability, and effective coping strategies, confirming its theoretical grounding within Family Stress Theory.

Furthermore, criterion validity has been established by demonstrating the FHI’s ability to predict family adjustment and health outcomes across diverse populations dealing with significant stressors, such as chronic illness, military deployment, or economic hardship. Researchers often use the FHI as a predictor variable, confirming that higher hardiness scores act as a significant buffer against distress.

Reliability

The FHI demonstrates acceptable to strong internal consistency across various research samples. Measures of reliability, particularly Cronbach’s alpha, typically fall above the acceptable threshold of .70, often ranging between .80 and .90 for the total scale score. This indicates that the items within the FHI are highly intercorrelated and measure the same underlying construct of family hardiness.

While test-retest reliability data may vary depending on the timeframe and population stability, the instrument is generally considered stable for assessing this relatively enduring family characteristic over short to medium periods.

Factor Analysis

Initial factor analysis studies of the FHI generally support a multi-dimensional structure, although the exact number of factors can vary slightly depending on the sample population and statistical methods employed. Typically, analyses confirm the presence of the three core factors derived from the hardiness concept: Commitment, Control, and Challenge.

Some analyses have supported the finer differentiation of sub-factors, aligning with the five conceptual domains mentioned in the source content (Co-oriented, Commitment, Confidence, Challenge, and Control). These findings suggest that while the FHI measures a unitary overall construct of hardiness, its components are distinct and measurable, allowing for a detailed profile of a family’s strengths and vulnerabilities.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-report questionnaire / Psychometric scale

Format: 20 items rated on a 4-point Likert scale. Items marked with an asterisk (*) are reverse-scored to mitigate response bias.

Language Available: Primarily English, with translations available in several other languages for cross-cultural research.

Population Group: Family members (typically adults or adolescents capable of understanding the items and reflecting on family dynamics).

Age Group: Generally administered to individuals aged 16 and older who are capable of providing a reliable assessment of the family unit.

Population Details: The FHI has been extensively used across diverse populations, including families facing chronic illness (e.g., cancer, disability), military families experiencing deployment, and families dealing with poverty or substance abuse.

Test Methodology: Respondents indicate their level of agreement with each statement regarding their family’s attitudes and behaviors using the following response categories:

• 0 = False
• 1 = Mostly false
• 2 = Mostly true
• 3 = Totally true

The scores for the 20 items are summed (after adjusting for reverse-scored items) to provide a total hardiness score, where higher scores indicate greater family hardiness and enhanced coping capacity.

Keywords

Family assessment, coping mechanism, psychological measurement, family resilience, psychosocial adjustment, scale validation, clinical practice, family dynamics.

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Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Not uniformly available or documented in the primary source material.

Affiliation Email addresses: Contact information typically managed through the McCubbin Resilience Center or affiliated academic institutions.

Correspondence Address: Refer to the official sources for the McCubbin Resilience Center, often affiliated with academic institutions where the authors hold faculty positions.

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The FHI was initially developed and published in 1986. Information regarding permissions, fees, and the instrument itself can generally be found via the official McCubbin resilience resources. The instrument can be found at the following official source: http://www.mccubbinresilience.org/measures.html.

Test Year: 1986 (Original Publication)

Reference’s

Fischer, Joel., Corcoran, Kevin J. (2007). Measures for Clinical Practice and research: A sourcebook. (4th ed.). NY: Oxford University Pr. Vol. 1, Page(s): 291-293.

McCubbin, H., McCubbin, M. (1991). Family stress theory and assessment. In: McCubbin H.I., Thompson A.I., editors. Family assessment inventories for research and practice. Madison: University of Wisconsin; 294-312.

McCubbin, M.A., McCubbin, H.I. & Thompson, A.I. (1986). FHI: Family Hardiness Index. In H.I. McCubbin & A.I. Thompson (Eds.), Family assessment inventories for research and practice (2nd ed.) pp. 124-130. Madison: University of Wisconsin.

McCubbin, M.A., McCubbin, H.I. & Thompson, A.I. (1986). FHI: Family Hardiness Index. In Fischer, Joel., Corcoran, Kevin J. (2007). Measures for Clinical Practice and research: A sourcebook. (4th ed.). NY: Oxford University Pr. Vol. 1, Page(s): 291-293.

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Items of the Family Hardiness Index (FHI)

IMPORTANT: The following scale items must be preserved in their original language and must not be changed in any way.

1. Trouble results from mistakes we make*

2. It is not wise to plan ahead and hope because things do not turn out anyway*

3. Our work and efforts are not appreciated no matter how hard we try and work*

4. In the long run, the bad things that happen to us are balanced by the good things that happen

5. We have a sense of being strong even when we face big problems

6. Many times I feel I can trust that even in difficult times that things will work out

7. While we don’t always agree, we can count on each other to stand by us in times of need

8. We do not feel we can survive if another problem hits us*

9. We believe that things will work out for the better if we work together as a family

10. Life seems dull and meaningless*

11. We strive together and help each other no matter what

12. When our family plans activities we try new and exciting things

13. We listen to each other’s problems, hurts and fears

14. We tend to do the same things over and over …. It’s boring*

15. We seem to encourage each other to try new things and experiences

16. It is better to stay at home than go out and do things with others*

17. Being active and learning new things are encouraged

18. We work together to solve problems

19. Most of the unhappy things that happen are due to bad luck*

20. We realize our lives are controlled by accidents and luck *

* Revers scored