Development and Validation of the Adolescent Triangulation Scale

Triangulation is conceptualized as the involvement of a third person in a dyadic relationship in order to balance excessive conflicts, intimacy, and distance and provide stability within the system. A self-report scale to measure adolescents' triangulation into inter-parental conflicts was developed, and psychometric properties of the scale were established. The study was conducted in a three-phase format. Data was collected from adolescents (10-19 years) of different schools and colleges in Pakistan. In Phase I, items were generated through a literature review and focused group discussion. In Phase II, four latent factors (Pushed out, pulled in, mediator, balanced) were extracted through EFA (N=493). Phase III comprised a test of dimensionality, reliability, and validity. The dimensionality of the Adolescent Triangulation Scale was established through CFA (N=494). Reliability of the scale was established through Cronbach alpha (α= .87-.90) and composite reliability (CR= .88-.92). Furthermore, the validity of the scale was assessed through Average Variance Extracted (AVE= .55-.69), Maximum Variance Shared (MVS= .88-.93), Fornell and Lacker criterion and Hetro-trait-Mono-trait Criterion. Results showed that the Adolescent Triangulation Scale appears to have good psychometric properties and contributes to the literature on family systems theory by allowing for a more nuanced measurement of triangulation than was previously available.