A Validation Study of the Parenting Competency Scale for Early Childhood Based on Brahmavihara (四無量心)

The purpose of this study is to validate a parenting competency scale for early childhood based on the Brahmavihara (四無量心). For this purpose, the characteristics, discrimination, reliability, and validity of the scale’s 30 items were analyzed with 402 parents of young children as participants. The results showed, first, that all items of the scale demonstrated adequate discrimination and normality, confirming its reliability as an assessment tool. Second, both the total scale and the four sub-factors exhibited high internal consistency and inter-correlations, indicating sufficient reliability. Third, the validity of the four-factor structure—comprising emotional competency, support for social growth, parenting competency development, and positive self-management—was confirmed, and the relevance and distinctiveness from existing scales were also established. Consequently, this scale is expected to serve as a reliable and valid tool for comprehensively assessing parenting competency in early childhood, and to provide foundational data for healthy child-rearing, parent education, and parenting competency evaluation.