Family Adaptation Scale (FAS)

Abstract

The Family Adaptation Scale (FAS) is a psychological scale designed to measure the perceived level of satisfaction and successful adjustment within a family unit. Developed initially by Antonovsky and Sourani (1988), the scale assesses how effectively a family manages its internal dynamics (e.g., communication and closeness) and external interactions (e.g., neighborhood and social relationships). The conceptual foundation of the FAS is deeply rooted in the salutogenic model, often employed alongside the Family Sense of Coherence (SOC) scale to understand family health and resilience. The source content presents the original 10-item version and a later, expanded 15-item Modified Family Adaptation Scale.

Keywords

Family Adaptation, Family Functioning, Satisfaction, Sense of Coherence, Family Relations, Psychological Assessment, Community Fit, Internal Fit

Authors

Antonovsky, A., Sourani, T. (Original FAS); Ostrander, Diane L., Henry, Carolyn S. (Modified FAS)

Purpose

The primary purpose of the Family Adaptation Scale (FAS) is to provide a quantitative measure of subjective family adjustment. It aims to capture the respondent’s satisfaction with various facets of family life, thereby reflecting the family’s overall adaptive capacity.

The scale is particularly useful in clinical practice and research to identify areas of family stress or strength, allowing practitioners to target interventions related to communication, external social support, or internal relational dynamics. The modified version by Ostrander et al. (1993) specifically tailored the instrument for families in unique communal roles, such as ministers’ families, by incorporating items related to church and congregational interaction.

Construct

The FAS measures Family Adaptation, which, within the context of Antonovsky’s work, is understood as the successful management of familial and environmental demands that contribute to overall family well-being. This construct is closely tied to the concept of the Family Sense of Coherence (FSOC), where a strong sense of coherence in a family facilitates better adaptive strategies when facing stressors.

The items generally address two key dimensions of Family Adaptation: Internal family fit (satisfaction with communication, emotional closeness, and internal processes) and Family-community fit (satisfaction with integration into the neighborhood, social networks, and community life).

Validity

The validity of the FAS is supported by its strong theoretical grounding in the salutogenic theory developed by Antonovsky. The original items were designed to comprehensively cover the domains critical for family functioning and successful coping, suggesting high content validity.

The subsequent modification of the scale (Ostrander et al., 1993) introduced items specifically relevant to family-community interaction in religious contexts, attempting to enhance the ecological validity for specific populations. The scale is typically used in conjunction with the Family Sense of Coherence Scale, allowing for concurrent validation against a related and well-established measure of family resilience.

Reliability

While specific Cronbach’s alpha coefficients are not present in the provided source excerpts, the scale is referenced in major measures sourcebooks, indicating its acceptance as a reliable measure in family research. The structure of the scale, particularly the 10-item version, suggests that items are intended to possess internal consistency, covering overlapping concepts of satisfaction across different family domains.

Factor Analysis

The original 10-item version of the FAS is often analyzed based on its components of fit. The scale is generally conceptualized as multidimensional, even if a total score is used. The initial item analysis suggests a clear delineation:

• Internal family fit: Five items (Items 1, 4, 5, 7, and 10) refer to satisfaction with internal family functions, such as belonging, emotional expression, closeness, communication, and responsiveness to members’ wishes.
• Family-community fit: Two items (Items 8 and 9) specifically address external adaptation, focusing on fitting into the neighborhood and social relations.
• Remaining Items: Three items cover both internal and external facets of fit, suggesting a broad assessment of overall family systems function.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-report psychological scale

Format: Multiple versions exist (10-item original and 15-item modified). Uses Likert-type response formats based on satisfaction or happiness.

Language Available: English (Original research published in English and Hebrew contexts).

Population Group: General Family Members (including parents and potentially adolescents capable of self-report).

Age Group: Adults and older adolescents.

Population Details: Used across various family structures; the modified version was specifically developed for ministers’ families.

Test Methodology: Respondents rate their level of satisfaction or happiness regarding specific aspects of their family life. Scoring utilizes two different scales based on the version used: a 7-point scale (1=completely satisfied to 7=completely unsatisfied) or a 5-point scale (1=not happy at all to 5=very happy). Several items in the original FAS are reverse-scored.

Keywords

Family assessment, Family Satisfaction, Adaptation, Psychometrics, Internal family fit, Family-community fit, Salutogenesis, Antonovsky

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Not provided in source content.

Affiliation Email addresses: Not provided in source content.

Correspondence Address: Not provided in source content.

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The original Family Adaptation Scale was first published in 1988 by Antonovsky and Sourani. A significant modified version was presented in 1993 by Ostrander and Henry. The instrument, along with the Family Sense of Coherence Scale, is reproduced in authoritative clinical sourcebooks, such as Fischer and Corcoran’s Measures for Clinical Practice and Research (2007). Researchers should consult the specific publication source for current permissions and licensing requirements.

The instrument is often associated with the Family Sense of Coherence Scale (FSOC). The original PDF for the associated FSOC instrument, which may contain the FAS, can be downloaded here: http://psych.wfu.edu/furr/362/Family%20Sense%20of%20Coherence%20Scale.pdf

Reference’s

The FAS is documented and discussed in the following academic sources:

• Antonovsky, A., & Sourani, T. (1988). Family sense of coherence and family adaptation. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 50, 79-92.
• Antonovsky, A. (1993). The structure and properties of the sense of coherence scale. Social Science & Medicine, 36(6), 725-733.
• Ostrander, Diane L., Henry, Carolyn S. (1993). Measuring Adaptation in Ministers’ Families: The Modified Family Adaptation Scale. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the National Council on Family Relations (Baltimore, MD, 1993).
• Eriksson, M., and Lindstrom, B., (2006). Validity of Antonovsky’s sense of coherence scale: a systematic review. Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health. 60(5): 376–381.
• Antonovsky, A., & Sourani, T. (1988). Family sense of coherence (FSOC) and family adaptation scales (FAS). 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): 323-326.

Items of the Family Adaptation Scale (FAS)

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

The original 10-item Family Adaptation Scale (FAS) uses a 7-point satisfaction response format (1=I’m completely satisfied, 7=I’m completely unsatisfied).

1. Are you satisfied in belonging to your family?*
2. Are you satisfied about the way the children are being raised? (like with their education‚ their behavior‚ their activities?)*
3. Are you satisfied with the family’s way of life?
4. Are you satisfied with the possibility of expressing what you feel in your family?*
5. Are you satisfied with the extent to which family members are close to each other?
6. Are you satisfied with how the family spends its leisure time?*
7. Are you satisfied with the way family members communicate with each other?
8. Are you satisfied with how your family fits into the neighborhood?
9. Are you satisfied with the social relations your family has?*
10. Are you satisfied with the way the family relates to the wishes of all the family members?*

* Reverse-scored

The Modified Family Adaptation Scale (Ostrander et al, 1993) uses a 5-point happiness response format (1= no‚ I am not happy at all, 5= I am very happy).

1. Are you happy being a member of your family?
2. Are you happy about the way the children in your family are being raised? (like where they go to school; how they are treated for their good and bad behaviors; things the children are allowed to do?)
3. Are you happy with how your family fits in with people and activities at church?
4. Are you happy with living in a minister’s family?
5. Are you happy with how close you‚ your children‚ and your spouse feel toward each other?
6. Are you happy with how your family acts toward church members and how they act toward you?
7. Are you happy with the chances you get to express what you feel in your family?
8. Are you happy with how your family spends time when the children are not in school or you and your spouse are not at work?
9. Are you satisfied with the way your family members talk to each other?
10. Are you happy with how your family fits into your neighborhood or town?
11. Are you happy with the amount of time your family spends on church activities?
12. Are you happy with how close your family is to people (such as relatives‚ friends or neighbors) outside your family and church?
13. Are you happy with the way the family members respect and treat each other?
14. Are you happy with how the church people treat your family?
15. And now think of what you believe would be a great family to live in. How does your family compare to this great family? Circle the statement below that describes how you feel they compare.

• a) My family is not like the great family at all.
• b) There are very few things in my family that make it like the great family I thought of.
• c) There are some things in my family that make it like the great family I thought of.
• d) There are quite a few things in my family that make it like the great family I thought of.
• e) My family is just like the great family I thought of.