Validación de la escala de competencias parentales emocionales y sociales para madres (ECPES-M)

espanolLa Recomendacion 2006/19 del Consejo de Europa sobre Politicas de Apoyo a la Parentalidad Positiva y la Organizacion Mundial de la Salud (World Health Organiza-tion, 2013), constatan dificultades de las familias para ejercer sus funciones parentales. Los instrumentos validados para evaluar competencias parentales en familias de la poblacion general son aun escasos, lo que aconseja incrementarlos para identificar necesidades ac-tuales en las dinamicas de interaccion y convivencia familiar. El objetivo de este estudio ha sido validar la Escala de Competencias Parentales Emocionales y Sociales para Madres (ECPES-M). Participaron 2437 madres representativas de una poblacion de 145.902 familias del Principado de Asturias (Espana) con hijos e hijas entre 0 y 18 anos. Para estudiar la es-tructura factorial o validez de constructo se efectuo analisis factorial exploratorio (AFE) y confirmatorio (AFC); se comprobo su invarianza considerando la etapa evolutiva o escolar de los hijos/as. La consistencia interna o fiabilidad se analizo mediante Alfa de Cronbach. Se analizo la validez concurrente mediante la correlacion de Pearson entre los factores resultantes y variables externas seleccionadas como criterio. Se obtuvo una escala de 15 items distribuidos en cuatro factores que explican el 42,096 % de la varianza: Factor 1-Auto-estima; Factor 2-Autocontrol; Factor 3-Agresividad Verbal; y Factor 4-Imposicion. Se ofrece un instrumento sencillo y util en el ambito de la evaluacion e intervencion familiar para identificar competencias parentales y su potenciacion a traves de programas de orienta-cion familiar basados en evidencias que fomenten la parentalidad positiva. La escala puede aplicarse con madres de la poblacion general desde una perspectiva de promocion e inter-vencion preventiva y anticipadora de dificultades. Puede aplicarse tambien en situaciones vulnerables. Es util tambien para evaluar programas de orientacion familiar e identificar evidencias de su eficacia. EnglishThe Council of Europe Recommendation 2006/19 on Policies to Support Posi-tive Parenting and the World Health Organization (2013) state difficulties for families to cope with their parental role. Validated instruments to assess parental competencies in normalized families are still scarce, which makes it advisable to increase them to identify current needs in the dynamics of family interaction and coexistence. The objective of this study was to vali-date the Emotional and Social Parenting Competencies Scale for Mothers (ECPES-M). 2437 representative mothers of a population of 145,902 families from the Principality of Asturias (Spain) with children between 0 and 18 years old participated. To study the factorial structure or construct validity, exploratory (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were carried out; invariance was verified considering the developmental or school stage of the children. Internal consistency or reliability was analyzed using Cronbach’s Alpha. Concurrent validity was analyzed through Pearson’s correlation between the resulting factors and external var-iables selected as criteria. A scale of 15 items was obtained, distributed in four factors that explain 42.096 % of the variance: Factor 1-Self-esteem; Factor 2-Self-control; Factor 3-Verbal Aggression; and Factor 4-Imposition. A simple and useful instrument is offered in the field of family assessment and intervention to identify parenting competencies and their potentiation through evidence-based family education programs for positive parenting. The scale can be applied with mothers of the general population from a family coexistence promotion and preventive perspective to anticipate family difficulties. It can also be applied in vulnerable situations. It is also useful for evaluating parenting programs and identifying evidence of their effectiveness.