Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need permission to use the IPPA?
No. The instrument is copyrighted, but the authors no longer require that users request permission to use it.
Do I need permission to translate the IPPA into a different language?
No, although the authors appreciate notice that the measure will be translated. If we are sent a copy of a translation, we can share it with other researchers with attribution to the translator(s). Check the Downloads page to see if there is a translation you can use.
What age range is appropriate for using the IPPA?
The development sample for the revised IPPA comprised respondents between 17 and 20 years of age. Many researchers, however, have found the IPPA valid for use with younger adolescents. There is a published adaptation of the original version of the IPPA for 9- to 15-year-olds (Gullone & Robinson 2005). Mark Greenberg and colleagues developed the measure People in My Life in part as an extension of the IPPA for pre-adolescent samples (Ridenour, Greenberg, & Cook, 2006).
What are the differences between the original and revised versions of the IPPA?
The original version does not separately assess mother and father attachment. The scoring procedure is different for the revised version; we no longer recommend the procedure used in our original published study (Armsden & Greenberg, 1987). Refer to the downloadable IPPA manual for instructions. In addition, the original version has 28 items in the Parent Attachment section, while the revised version has 25 items in each of the Mother and Father Attachment sections. Using the revised version is preferable because research revealed that mother and father attachment scores are differently related to other assessment scores in potentially important ways. (Armsden, 1986).
Why do you recommend that only total attachment scores be calculated when using the revised version, and not the Trust, Communication and Alienation subscores?
The Trust and Communication subscale scores are moderately correlated, suggesting that those dimensions might not be strictly independent. Some researchers have found subscales useful.
How do I interpret the attachment scores?
The IPPA was developed as a research instrument. There are currently no norms or clinical cut-off points for IPPA scores. Scores can be interpreted with reference to similar non-clinical or clinical samples. The IPPA manual includes many references to such published studies. The IPPA was not designed to provide general classifications of attachment “style” or “type”. However, respondents can be categorized in comparison to others in the same sample. Researchers, including the authors, have used median splits to delineate “more secure” (at or above median) versus “less secure” attachment groups for their particular samples.