Psychometric Properties of the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Scale IV with College Students in the United States

Annual surveys continue to demonstrate an increasing prevalence of mental health difficulties among college students, resulting in increasing help seeking behaviors. One factor identified as predicting both well-being and mental health symptoms among college students is family functioning. The Family Adaptability and Cohesion Scale IV (FACES-IV) is a popular instrument that assesses family functioning for use in both clinical and research contexts. However, the FACES-IV has not been specifically validated among the college student population. This study examined the psychometric properties of the FACES-IV with 684 primarily female college students from 18 colleges and universities across the northeastern, midwestern, and southern United States in 2018. Given the data, an alternative three-factor model of the FACES-IV was explored with the sample. Implications for using the FACES-IV in research and practice with college students are discussed.