Family Cohesion Scale from FACES II

Abstract

The Family Cohesion Scale is a critical subscale of the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scales II (FACES II), developed by David H. Olson and colleagues in 1982. This instrument is designed to measure the degree of Family Cohesion within a family system, representing the emotional bonding that family members have toward one another. Cohesion is conceptualized along a continuum ranging from extremely low (Disengaged) to extremely high (Enmeshed), with balanced levels (Separated and Connected) being associated with optimal family functioning. The most commonly utilized version is the 16-item scale, though 8-item and 20-item versions have also been employed in specific research contexts.

The scale assesses key dimensions of family relationships, including the emotional closeness, shared time, decision-making consultation, and the presence of clear internal and external family boundaries. Responses are typically gathered using a 5-point Likert-type scale, allowing researchers and clinicians to place families within the framework of the Circumplex Model of Marital and Family Systems.

Keywords

Family Cohesion, FACES II, Circumplex Model, Family Assessment, Emotional Bonding, Family Dynamics, David H. Olson, Psychometric Scale

Authors

David H. Olson, Joyce Portner, Richard Q. Bell

Purpose

The primary purpose of the Family Cohesion Scale is to quantitatively assess the level of emotional closeness and bonding among family members. It serves as a key measure in the broader FACES II instrument, which operationalizes the cohesion dimension of the Circumplex Model of Family Systems.

This scale allows for the differentiation between various levels of cohesion—Disengaged, Separated, Connected, and Enmeshed—which are crucial for understanding how families respond to stress, manage daily tasks, and maintain healthy family boundaries. It is widely used in clinical psychology, family therapy research, and preventive intervention studies to evaluate relationship quality.

Construct

The scale measures Family Cohesion, defined as the emotional bonding and sense of togetherness family members experience. According to Olson’s model, key indicators of cohesion measured by the scale include:

• Emotional bonding (closeness and support).
• Family boundaries (clarity regarding who is in and out of the family unit).
• Coalitions (the presence or absence of pairing up among members).
• Time spent together (shared activities and interests).
• Decision-making consultation (the degree to which members seek input from one another).

The scale aims to capture the perceived reality of the family’s relational style, often yielding different scores from different family members (e.g., parent vs. child perceptions).

Validity

Studies supporting the validity of the FACES II Cohesion scale generally indicate strong construct validity, aligning conceptually with other measures of family functioning. The scale’s ability to discriminate between clinically referred and non-referred families provides evidence of its criterion validity. Furthermore, the items reliably load onto a single cohesion factor, supporting its hypothesized unidimensional structure within the cohesion domain.

Specific research, such as the study by Gonzales et al. (2012) involving Mexican American adolescents, confirms the utility and validity of the measure across diverse cultural groups, suggesting its applicability in broader family research settings.

Reliability

The internal consistency of the 16-item Family Cohesion Scale is generally reported as good to excellent across various samples, typically yielding Cronbach’s alpha coefficients ranging from 0.75 to 0.85. The original standardization data provided adequate reliability estimates.

The shortened versions (e.g., the 8-item version) are often used when brevity is required, and while they maintain acceptable reliability, researchers must be aware that reliability coefficients may be slightly lower due to the reduced number of items.

Factor Analysis

Factor analysis of the 16-item Family Cohesion Scale typically confirms a robust, single-factor structure corresponding to the theoretical construct of Cohesion. This factor captures the overall emotional closeness and integration of the family unit.

The inclusion of reverse-coded items (marked with [R] in the item list) is standard practice to mitigate acquiescence bias and ensure that respondents consider both cohesive and non-cohesive behaviors when completing the scale.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-report psychological scale (Psychometric Inventory)

Format: 5-point Likert scale, ranging from 1 (Almost never or never) to 5 (Almost always or always).

Language Available: English (original), Spanish, and various other translations used in international research.

Population Group: Family members (parents and children/adolescents).

Age Group: Typically utilized with adolescents and adults capable of reading and understanding the items (usually 12 years and older).

Population Details: Originally standardized on diverse family samples; frequently used in clinical, non-clinical, and preventative intervention studies globally.

Test Methodology: Respondents rate how frequently each statement describes their family. Scores are summed and reverse-coded items are adjusted to yield a total cohesion score, which is then plotted on the Circumplex Model.

Keywords

Psychology, Family Therapy, Assessment Tool, FACES II, Cohesion Measurement, Family Functioning, Likert Scale, Olson

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Not specified in source materials.

Affiliation Email addresses: Not specified in source materials.

Correspondence Address: David H. Olson, Family Social Science, University of Minnesota, St Paul, Minnesota.

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The FACES II scales were published in 1982. Use of the instrument often requires permission from the primary author or publisher, and associated licensing fees may apply, particularly for large-scale commercial or clinical use. Researchers should consult the official distributor of the FACES scales for current permissions and fees.

Reference’s

1. Olson, D. H., Portner, J., & Bell R. Q. (1982). FACES II: Family adaptability and cohesion evaluation scales. Family Social Science, University of Minnesota, St Paul, Minnesota.
2. Gonzales, N. A., Dumka, L. E., Millsap, R. E., Gottschall, A. McClain, D. B., Wong, J. J. Germán, M., Mauricio, A. M., Wheeler, L., Carpentier, F. D., & Kim, S. Y. (2012). Randomized trial of a broad preventive intervention for Mexican American adolescents. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 80(1), 1–16.

The instrument can also be found on pages 54-56 of Latino Families and Youth: A Compendium of Assessment Tools. The original PDF can be downloaded here: A Compendium of Assessment Tools.

Items of the Family Cohesion Scale from FACES II

Scoring Format: 1 = Almost never or never; 2 = Once in a while; 3 = Sometimes; 4 = A lot of the time (frequently); 5 = Almost always or always.

16-item Family Cohesion Scale (FACES II Standard Cohesion Subscale)

1. Family members are supportive of each other during difficult times.
2. I t was easier to discuss problems with people outside the family than with other family members. [R]
3. Our family gathers together in the same room.
4. Our family does things together.
5. In our family‚ everyone goes his/her own way. [R]
6. Family members know each other’s close friends.
7. Family members consult other family members on their decisions.
8. We have difficulty thinking of things to do as a family. [R]
9. Family members feel very close to each other.
10. Family members feel closer to people outside the family than to other family members. [R]
11. Family members go along with what the family decides to do.
12. Family members like to spend their free time with each other.
13. Family members avoid each other at home. [R]
14. Family members approve of each other’s friends.
15. Family members pair up rather than do things as a total family. [R]
16. Family members share interests and hobbies with each other.

Note: [R] indicates items that must be reverse coded during scoring.

8-item Family Cohesion Scale (Short Form)

1. I n the past month‚ family members were supportive of each other during difficult times.
2. Our family did things together.
3. Family members consulted other family members on their decisions.
4. Family members felt very close to each other.
5. Family members went along with what the family decided to do.
6. Family members liked to spend their free time with each other.
7. We approved of each other’s friends.
8. Family members shared interests and hobbies with each other.

20-item Family Cohesion Scale (Potential Alternative or Combined Scale)

1. Family members ask each other for help.
2. In solving problems‚ the children’s suggestions are followed.
3. We approve of each other’s friends.
4. Children have a say in their discipline.
5. We like to do things with just our immediate family.
6. Different persons act as leaders in our family.
7. Family members feel closer to other family members than to people outside the family.
8. Our family changes its way of handling tasks.
9. Family members like to spend free time with each other.
10. Parent(s) and children discuss punishment together.
11. Family members feel very close to each other.
12. The children make the decisions in our family.
13. When our family gets together for activities‚ everybody is present.
14. Rules change in our family.
15. We can easily think of things to do together as a family.
16. We shift household responsibilities from person to person.
17. Family members consult other family members on their decisions.
18. It is hard to identify the leader(s) in our family.
19. Family togetherness is very important.
20. It is hard to tell who does which household chores.