Spanish Adaptation of the FACES IV Questionnaire: Psychometric Characteristics

The aim of this study was to obtain a culturally adapted Spanish version of the American Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scale (FACES IV). For this purpose, rigorous procedures were used in the retro-translation process and in the subsequent empirical study. The sampling consisted of 455 university students and a balanced scale of 13 items (α = .87) was obtained; a scale that can be used independently. Moreover, the study was rounded off with a 6-factor model that includes 2 central scales—cohesion and adaptability—and 4 extreme scales—chaotic, rigid, disengaged, and enmeshed—each one with 4 items. All the scales proved to have good psychometric qualities and suitable convergent, concurrent, and content validity, yet it will be necessary to go more deeply into the rigid scale. The construct validity was supported by a confirmatory factorial analysis with sound fit indexes (root mean square error of approximation [RMSEA] = 0.046, normed fit index [NFI] = 0.94, the comparative fit index [CFI] = 0.97, and the goodness-of-fit index [GFI] = 0.92). In its Spanish version, FACES IV is a useful instrument for family assessment, although further studies need to be carried out so as to confirm the results obtained.