Parental Authority Questionnaire (PAQ)

Instructions: For each of the following statements, circle the number of the 5-point scale
(1 = strongly disagree, 5 = strongly agree) that best describes how that statement applies
to you and your parent (both mother and father. Try to read and think about each
statement as it applies to you and your parent during your years of growing up at home.
There are no right or wrong answers, so don’t spend a lot of time on any one item. Be
sure not to omit any items.

1 = Strongly Disagree
2 = Disagree
3 = Neither agree nor disagree
4 = Agree
5 = Strongly Agree

If your parents were separated or divorced before you reached the age 12, think about the parent with whom you spent the most
time when you answer the questions.

1.​ While I was growing up, my parent/s felt that in a well-run home the children
should have their way in the family as often as the parents do.
1 2 3 4 5
2.​ Even if their children didn’t agree with them, my parent/s felt that it was for our
own good if we were forced to conform to what he/she thought was right
1 2 3 4 5
3.​ Whenever my parent told me to do something as I was growing up, he/she
expected me to do it immediately without asking any questions.
1 2 3 4 5
4.​ As I was growing up, once family policy had been established, my parent/s
discussed the reasoning behind the policy with the children in the family.
1 2 3 4 5
5.​ My parent/s has always encouraged verbal give-and-take whenever I have felt
that family rules and restrictions were unreasonable.
1 2 3 4 5
6.​ My parent/s has always felt that what children need is to be free to make up their
own minds and to do what they want to do, even if this does not agree with what
1 2 3 4 5
their parents might want.

7.​ As I was growing up my parent/s did not allow me to question any decision
he/she had made.
1 2 3 4 5
8.​ As I was growing up my parent/s directed the activities and decisions of the
children in the family through reasoning and discipline.
1 2 3 4 5
9.​ My parent/s has always felt that more force should be used by parents in order to
get their children to behave the way they are supposed to.
1 2 3 4 5
10.​ As I was growing up my parent/s did not feel that I needed to obey rules and
regulations of behavior simply because someone in authority had established
1 2 3 4 5
them

11.​ As I was growing up I knew what my parent/s expected of me in my family, but I

also felt free to discuss those expectations with my parent when I felt that they
1 2 3 4 5
were unreasonable.

12.​ My parent/s felt that wise parents should teach their children early just who is
boss in the family.
1 2 3 4 5
13.​ As I was growing up, my parent/s seldom gave me expectations and guidelines
for my behavior.
1 2 3 4 5
14.​ Most of the time as I was growing up my parent/s did what the children in the
family wanted when making family decisions.
1 2 3 4 5
Parental Authority Questionnaire (PAQ)

15.​ As the children in my family were growing up, my parent/s consistently gave us
direction and guidance in rational and objective ways.
1 2 3 4 5
16.​ As I was growing up my parent/s would get very upset if I tried to disagree with
him/her.
1 2 3 4 5
17.​ My parent/s feel that most problems in society would be solved if parents would
not restrict their children's activities, decisions, and desires as they are growing
1 2 3 4 5
up

18.​ As I was growing up my parent/s let me know what behavior they expected of
me, and if I didn’t meet those expectations, he/she punished me.
1 2 3 4 5
19.​ As I was growing up my parent/s allowed me to decide most things for myself
without a lot of direction from him/her
1 2 3 4 5
20.​ As I was growing up my parent/s took the children’s opinions into consideration
when making family decisions but he/she would not decide something simply
1 2 3 4 5
because the children wanted it.

21.​ My parent/s did not view himself/herself as responsible for directing and guiding
my behavior as I was growing up.
1 2 3 4 5
22.​ My parent/s had clear standards of behavior for the children in our home as I
was growing up, but he/she was willing to adjust those standards to the needs of
1 2 3 4 5
each of the individual children in the family.

23.​ My parent/s gave me direction for my behavior and activities as I was growing up
and he/she expected me to follow his/her direction, but he/she was always willing
1 2 3 4 5
to listen to my concerns and to discuss that direction with me.

24. As I was growing up my parent/s allowed me to form my own point of view on

family matters and he/she generally allowed me to decide for myself what I was
1 2 3 4 5
going to do.

25. My parent/s has always felt that most problems in society would be solved if we
could get parents to strictly and forcibly deal with their children when they don’t
1 2 3 4 5
do what they are supposed to as they are growing up.

26. As I was growing up my parent/s often told me exactly what he/she wanted me to
do and how he/she expected me to do it.
1 2 3 4 5
27. As I was growing up my parent/s gave me clear direction for my behaviors and
activities, but he/she was also understanding when I disagreed with him/her.
1 2 3 4 5
28. As I was growing up my parent/s did not direct the behaviors, activities, and
desires of the children in the family.
1 2 3 4 5
29. As I was growing up I knew what my parent/s expected of me in the family and
he/she insisted that I conform to those expectations simply out of respect for their
1 2 3 4 5
authority.

30. As I was growing up, if my parent/s made a decision in the family that hurt me,
he/she was willing to discuss that decision with me and to admit it if he/she had
1 2 3 4 5
made a mistake.