Abstract

In this study the reliability and validity of 42 items-Maternal Gatekeeping Scale-Mother Form (MGS-M), a scale developed to evaluate encoragement, discouragement and control behaviors of mothers on fathers, were examined for the Turkish adaptation. A total of 210 mothers with children aged 4-6 participated in the study. Confirmatory factor analyses revealed that MGS-M has a three-factor solution in accordance with the original scale. The correlation coefficients with the Father Involvement Scale, used to determine the criterion validity of the MGS-M, were in the expected direction and significant. The sub-dimensions of MGS-M were found to have acceptable intarnal consistency and split-half reliability. In accordance with the original study, eight maternal gatekeeping types were formed by the crossing of the three-factor and the prevalence of the types of maternal gatekeeping were determined. The findings indicate that the reliability and validity of the scale were satisfactory. Sub-dimensions of maternal gatekeeping were examined according to some demographic characteristics and all findings were discussed in terms of related literature and future studies.

Key words: maternal gatekeeping scale, father involvement, validity, reliability