Measuring Attachment in Adolescence: A Validation of the IPPA in Adolescents with Illegal Sexual Behaviors

Abstract

The Inventory of Parental and Peer Attachment (IPPA; Armsden & Greenberg, 1987) is a well-established measurement instrument for assessing attachment during adolescence. However, the factor structure of the measure has not been systematically replicated, as inconsistent factor structures have been found across different adolescent populations. In this study, the factor structure of the IPPA was tested in a large sample (N = 747) sample of adolescents in residential treatment for illegal sexual behaviors. Using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), results were cross-validated using two purely randomized groups: Sample 1 (n = 387) and Sample 2 (n = 387). Initial CFA results indicated a three-factor solution was a good fit for the parent subscales but not for the peer subscales. An Exploratory Factor Analyses (EFA) was conducted using a Principal Components Analysis (PCA) for the peer subscales, and indicated a two-factor solution. The two-factor solution produced good model fit for the peer subscales. PCA findings for the peer subscales also indicated differences in item factor loadings that were discrepant from the original loadings suggested by Armsden and Greenberg (1987). Implications for the use of the IPPA with adolescents and areas for future research are discussed.