This study aimed to construct and validate a psychological measure called Family Unpredictability Scale in Childhood for the Brazilian population. The study included 394 people: 158 adults in conflict with the law that had already been in prison (M=34.23 years; SD=10.17), 122 college students (M=19.26; SD=2.06), and 114 women above 40 years old and, at least, high school schooling (M=51.19; SD=8.64). Procedures of content, face and construct validity were conducted. The factor analysis generated an instrument structured in four dimensions (care/support, financial resources, food and discipline) with satisfactory reliability indexes for all of them. It was concluded that Family Unpredictability Scale in Childhood was validated to Brazilian population and that it can be used as an instrument to measure family unpredictability in childhood on the national scene.
Family unpredictability; childhood; psychological measure
