Interpersonal Behaviors Questionnaire (IBQ) applied to parenting of emerging adults: dimensional structure and criterion validity

BACKGROUND: The prolonged transitions to adulthood strengthen interest in parenting characteristics that can shape emerging adults’ development and progression to full-fledged adulthood. It also strengthens interest in instruments suitable for measuring such parenting characteristics. The current study contributes to this area of research by applying the Interpersonal Behavior Questionnaire (IBQ), to assess parenting behaviors that are pertinent for emerging adults’ development and wellbeing, and seeks evidence of its dimensional structure and criterion validity. METHOD: The sample of the study consisted of 600 emerging adults (M(age) = 24.94, SD(age) = 3.03, range 19–29 years; 52.3% women). The dimensionality of IBQ was assessed by testing a sequence of theoretically plausible models representing alternative factor score structures. Criterion validity was investigated by exploring the associations between the IBQ dimensions and basic psychological need satisfaction and frustration, negative affectivity, and thriving. RESULTS: The findings provide evidence of a hypothesized six-factor structure, but advocate for the use of exploratory structural equation as it may more accurately reflect associations between the six dimensions. Findings also provide evidence of criterion validity. CONCLUSIONS: The findings indicate that IBQ applied to parenting targets dimensions highly relevant for EAs’ flourishing or impoverished functioning. Findings also offer evidence of structure and criterion validity for the IBQ applied to emerging adults’ parent behaviors. As such, researchers may find IBQ attractive, as it is relatively concise yet also a holistic measure that captures the behaviors that both support and thwart an emerging adult’s need for autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Findings also shed light on the process of becoming an adult, the shift in parent–child relationships during this process, and emerging adults’ wellbeing. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40359-022-00983-6.