Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment (IPPA)

Abstract

The Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment (IPPA) is a widely utilized self-report questionnaire designed to measure the perceived quality of attachment relationships with significant figures: parents (or primary caregivers) and peers. Developed primarily by Patricia Crittenden in the 1980s, the instrument assesses key dimensions of attachment, including trust, communication, and alienation. Consisting of 25 items per version rated on a 5-point Likert scale, the IPPA is instrumental in clinical diagnosis and research across various psychological outcomes, such as mental health, social functioning, and academic achievement, particularly among adolescent and young adult populations. The scale has demonstrated strong psychometric properties, confirming its validity and reliability as a measure of relational security based on Attachment Theory.

Keywords

Attachment, Parent Attachment, Peer Attachment, IPPA, Patricia Crittenden, Adolescence, Attachment Styles, Trust, Alienation, Communication, Psychological Assessment.

Authors

Patricia Crittenden, Gerald C. Armsden, Michael T. Greenberg.

Purpose

The primary purpose of the IPPA is to provide a standardized, quantitative measure of an individual’s subjective perception of the quality of their attachment relationships with significant figures: parents (or primary caregivers, typically mother and father) and peers. This assessment allows researchers and clinicians to evaluate the degree of security, trust, and availability perceived within these critical interpersonal bonds, which are crucial for socioemotional development.

The IPPA serves as a valuable diagnostic and research tool. Clinically, it aids in identifying potential attachment difficulties and informing treatment planning. In research, it is frequently employed to explore the association between attachment quality and diverse psychological outcomes, including mental health status, social competence, and educational achievement across adolescence and young adulthood.

Construct

The IPPA is grounded firmly in Attachment Theory, which describes the enduring emotional bonds that shape an individual’s expectations for future relationships. The instrument operationalizes attachment quality along three primary, intercorrelated dimensions for both parent and peer relationships: Trust, Communication, and Alienation.

The scores derived from these subscales are intended to reflect the respondent’s position relative to the classical attachment styles: secure, anxious-avoidant, anxious-resistant, and disorganized. Specifically, a healthy attachment pattern is characterized by high scores on Trust and Communication (indicating mutual understanding and openness) and low scores on Alienation (indicating minimal emotional distance or anger).

Validity

The IPPA has been extensively studied and demonstrated to possess robust evidence of validity across various populations. Its construct validity is supported by consistent findings that IPPA scores correlate meaningfully with expected psychological variables, such as lower levels of psychological distress, better self-esteem, and improved social functioning, confirming that the scale measures the intended theoretical construct of relational security.

Furthermore, the scale exhibits strong concurrent and predictive validity. Studies consistently show that individuals reporting high levels of secure attachment on the IPPA tend to demonstrate greater emotional resilience and fewer behavioral problems, confirming the instrument’s ability to accurately reflect and forecast relevant mental health outcomes.

Reliability

The IPPA exhibits high internal consistency, a key indicator of reliability, suggesting that the items within each subscale consistently measure the same underlying dimension of attachment. The internal consistency coefficients (likely Cronbach’s Alpha) reported in the source content are strong, supporting the scale’s dependability across different relational figures:

• Mother Attachment: 0.87
• Father Attachment: 0.89
• Peer Attachment: 0.92

These coefficients indicate excellent reliability, with the Peer version demonstrating particularly high internal consistency. The reliability is further supported by the consistent factor structure found across diverse cultural samples.

Factor Analysis

The IPPA is structured based on a clear multi-dimensional model of attachment quality, which is confirmed through factor analysis in validation studies (e.g., Armsden & Greenberg, 1987). The analysis typically supports the separation of the scale into three distinct, measurable subscales for both the Parent and Peer versions:

• Trust: Reflects the degree of mutual understanding, respect, and availability perceived in the relationship.
• Communication: Reflects the extent of open, accurate, and comfortable verbal exchange regarding personal thoughts and difficulties.
• Alienation: Reflects feelings of emotional distance, isolation, anger, and misunderstanding within the relationship.

This three-factor structure allows for a nuanced assessment of relational quality, moving beyond a simple secure/insecure dichotomy to measure specific areas of strength or vulnerability in the attachment bond.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-report questionnaire; Psychometric assessment.

Format: 25 items per version (Mother, Father, Peer). Responses are collected using a 5-point Likert scale, ranging from 1 (Almost Never or Never True) to 5 (Almost Always or Always True).

Language Available: English (Original), Spanish (Validated translations exist).

Population Group: Clinical and Non-clinical individuals.

Age Group: Typically used with Adolescents and Young Adults (ages 12–20), though adapted for use with older populations.

Population Details: The IPPA requires respondents to complete separate versions for their Mother, Father, and Peer group, providing three distinct attachment scores.

Test Methodology: Scoring involves summing the items for each subscale (Trust, Communication, Alienation). Items designated as negative statements (e.g., those reflecting alienation or conflict) must be reverse-scored prior to summation to ensure that higher scores consistently indicate better attachment quality. For an overall Mother, Father, or Peer Attachment score, all items of the alienation subscales must be reverse-scored.

Keywords

Psychological well-being, Social functioning, Reliability, Validity, Adolescence, Parenting, Peer Relationships, Psychological Assessment.

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: N/A

Affiliation Email addresses: N/A

Correspondence Address: N/A

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

Test Year of Initial Publication: 1987 (Formal psychometric publication by Armsden & Greenberg) / 1988 (Crittenden).

Permissions and Availability: The IPPA is commonly available for non-commercial academic use. The instrument can be found in various published resources, including pages 56-59 of Latino Families and Youth: A Compendium of Assessment Tools. The specific online link to this document is: http://www.paho.org/hq/index.php?option=com_docman&task=doc_view&gid=23171&Itemid=

Reference’s

The following references support the theoretical basis, development, and psychometric evaluation of the IPPA:

• Ainsworth, M. D. S., Blehar, M. C., Waters, E., & Wall, S. (1978). Patterns of attachment: A psychological study of the Strange Situation. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
• Armsden, G. C., & Greenberg, M. T. (1987). The inventory of parent and peer attachment: Individual differences and their relationship to psychological well-being in adolescence. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 16, 427–454.
• Bowlby, J., & Rutter, M. (Eds.). (1988). Bowlby and attachment theory. New York: Guilford Press.
• Crittenden, P. M. (1988). The Child in the Family. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
• Pardo, M. E., Pineda, S., Carrillo, S., & Castro, S. (2006). Análisis psicométrico del inventario de apego con padres y pares en una muestra de adolescentes colombianos. Interamerican Journal of Psychology, 40(3), 289-302.

Items of the Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment (IPPA)

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

MOTHER’S VERSION

(For the father’s version‚ replace ‘mother’ with ‘father’)

1. My mother respects my feeling.
2. I feel my mother does a good job as a mother.
3. I wish I had a different mother.
4. My mother accepts me as I am.
5. I like to get my mother’s point of view on things I’m concerned about.
6. I feel it’s no use letting my feelings show around my mother.
7. My mother can tell when I’m upset about something.
8. Talking over my problems with my mother makes me feel ashamed or foolish.
9. My mother expects too much from me.
10. I get upset easily around my mother.
11. I get upset a lot more than my mother knows about.
12. When we discuss things‚ my mother cares about my point of view.
13. My mother trusts my judgment.
14. My mother has her own problems‚ so I don’t bother her with mine.
15. My mother helps me to understand myself better.
16. I tell my mother about my problems and troubles.
17. I feel angry with my mother.
18. I don’t get much attention from my mother.
19. My mother helps me to talk about my difficulties.
20. My mother understands me.
21. When I am angry about something‚ my mother tries to be understanding.
22. I trust my mother.
23. My mother doesn’t understand what I’m going through these days.
24. I can count on my mother when I need to get something off my chest.
25. I f my mother knows something is bothering me‚ she asks me about it.

PEER VERSION:

1. I like to get my friend’s point of view on things I’m concerned about.
2. My friends can tell when I’m upset about something.
3. When we discuss things‚ my friends care about my point of view.
4. Talking over my problems with friends makes me feel ashamed or foolish.
5. I wish I had different friends.
6. My friends understand me.
7. My friends encourage me to talk about my difficulties.
8. My friends accept me as I am.
9. I feel the need to be in touch with my friends more often.
10. My friends don’t understand what I’m going through these days.
11. I feel alone or apart when I am with my friends.
12. My friends listen to what I have to say.
13. I feel my friends are good friends.
14. My friends are fairly easy to talk to.
15. When I am angry about something‚ my friends try to be understanding.
16. My friends help me understand myself better.
17. My friends care about how I am feeling.
18. I feel angry with my friends.
19. I can count on my friends when I need to get something off my chest.
20. I trust my friends.
21. My friends respect my feelings.
22. I get upset a lot more than my friends know about.
23. It seems as if my friends are irritated with me for no reason.
24. I can tell my friends about my problems and troubles.
25. If my friends know something is bothering me‚ they ask me about it.

SCORING KEY (5-point Likert Scale):

1. Almost Never or Never True
2. Not Very Often True
3. Sometimes True
4. Often True
5. Almost Always or Always True

To calculate the subscale scores‚ reverse score the negative items and then add the items of each subscale. To calculate an overall Mother‚ Father, and Peer Attachment score‚ all items of the alienation subscales must also be reverse scored.

Items of Parent Subscales:

• Parent Trust: 1‚ 2‚ 4‚ 12‚ 13‚ 20‚ 21‚ 22‚ reverse score: 3‚ 9
• Parent Communication: 5‚ 7‚ 15‚ 16‚ 19‚ 24‚ 25‚ reverse score: 6‚ 14
• Parent Alienation: 8‚ 10‚ 11‚ 17‚ 18‚ 23

Items of Peer Subscales:

• Peer Trust: 6‚ 8‚ 12‚ 13‚ 14‚ 15‚ 19‚ 20‚ 21‚ reverse score: 5
• Peer Communication: 1‚ 2‚ 3‚ 7‚ 16‚ 17‚ 24‚ 25
• Peer Alienation: 4‚ 9‚ 10‚ 11‚ 18‚ 22‚ 23.