NSCS- Teen and Young Parents
Nurturing Skills Competency Scale (NSCS- 3.0*)
Teen/Young Parents and their Families
Long Version
This inventory can only be scored online at AssessingParenting.com
Check One:
Pretest
Posttest
PLEASE PRINT:
1. Date Inventory was administered:
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Email Address of Staff Member Administering Inventory
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2. Last Name (or agency ID number):
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3. Middle Initial:
*
4. First Name:
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Agency Name:
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City:
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State:
*
Directions:
Please circle the letter of your response in each item AND write the letter in the space provided. For example, for item #6, if you are Female, circle letter b, and write the letter b in the space provided. Answer all the items.
PART A- About Me
5. Birthday:
*
-
Month
-
Day
Year
Date
6. Gender:
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a. Male
b. Female
c. Transgender Man
d. Transgender Woman
e. Other
Other:
7. Race/Nationality:
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a. White
b. Black
c. Asian
d. Hispanic
e. Native American
f. Pacific Islander
g. Bi-racial
h. Multi-racial
i. Other
Nationality:
8. Marital Status:
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a. Single
b. Married
c. Unmarried Partners
d. Separated/Divorced
e. Widow/Widower
9. Number of children you have:
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10. Highest grade you completed:
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a. Grade School
b. Middle School (grades 7 & 8)
c. Some High School (grades9-11)
d. High School Graduate
e. Working on or Completed GED
f. Two Year Tech School
g. Some College
h. College Graduate
i. Post Graduate or Above
11. Current Employment-School Status:
*
a. Employed full-time
b. Going to school full-time
c. Employed part-time
d. Going to school part-time
e. Both going to school and working
f. I am stay-at-home Mom or Dad
g. Currently unemployed and not going to school
h. Retired
i. Other
12. Annual Household Income:
*
a. Under $15,000
b. $15,001 to $25,000
c. $25,001 to $30,000
d. $30,001 to $40,000
e. $40,001 to $60,000
f. Over $60,000
g. I don't know
13. Are or were you and/or your partner in the military?
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a. Yes, Only me
b. Yes, Only my partner
c. Yes, Both of us
d. No
14. As a child, did you experience any type of physical, emotional or sexual abuse by someone OUTSIDE of your family?
*
a. Yes
b. No
15. As a child, did you experience any type of physical, emotional or sexual abuse by someone INSIDE of your family?
a. Yes
b. No
PART B- About My Childhood
As a child between the ages of 4 to 18, did you:
16. Ever feel that no on in your family loved you or thought you were special?
a. Yes
b. No
17. Ever feel your needs were ignored?
a. Yes
b. No
18. Ever feel that either of your parents used street drugs, abused alcohol, or misused prescription drugs?
a. Yes
b. No
19. Feel the quality of your relationship with your mother or mother figure was:
a. Very Good
b. Good
c. Bad
d. Very Bad
20. Feel the quality of your relationship with your father or father figure was:
a. Very Good
b. Good
c. Bad
d. Very Bad
21. Ever feel your mother or mother figure was physically, verbally or sexually abused by her partner?
a. Yes, and I witnessed the abuse
b. Yes, but I didn't witness the abuse
c. No
22. Ever feel your father or father figure was physically, verbally or sexually abused by his partner?
a. Yes, and I witnessed the abuse
b. Yes, but I didn't witness the abuse
c. No
23. Ever feel your parents had marital problems?
a. Yes
b. No
24. Ever feel any of your brothers or sisters were physically, verbally or sexually abused?
a. Yes, and I witnessed the abuse
b. Yes, but I didn't witness the abuse
c. No
d. I have no birth or adopted brothers or sisters
PART C- About the Father/Mother of My Child(ren)
My responses to the following statements refer to (Please circle one):
a. The father of my children (referred to as parent partner)
b. The mother of my children (referred to as parent partner)
NOTE:
If there are children from different parents, please refer to the parent partner of the most recent child.
25. Is your parent partner a problem drinker or alcoholic; abuses prescription drugs or uses street drugs?
a. Yes
b. No
26. Do you think your parent partner was abused or neglected as a child?
a. Yes
b. No
27. Do you think your parent partner had brothers or sisters who were physically, verbally or sexually abused as children by their parents?
a. Yes, and s/he witnessed the abuse
b. Yes, but s/he didn't witness the abuse
c. No
d. My parent partner has no brothers or sisters
28. Has your parent partner physically, verbally or sexually abused you?
a. Yes
b. No
29. Have you physically, verbally, or sexually abused your parent partner?
a. Yes
b. No
30. Please rate the quality of the relationship you have with your parent partner:
a. Very Good
b. Good
c. Bad
d. Very Bad
31. If you were to do it all over again, would you still choose your parent partner as the mother or father of your children?
a. Yes
b. Yes, but under different conditions
c. Maybe
d. No
PART D- About My Children/Family
32. Have any of your children ever experienced any type of physical, verbal or sexual abuse by a person OUTSIDE your family?
a. Yes
b. No
33. Have any of your children ever experienced any type of physical, verbal or sexual abuse by a person INSIDE of your family?
a. Yes
b. No
34. Do any of your children currently have or had in the past problems with alcohol, prescription drugs or street drugs?
a. Yes
b. No
35. Do any of your children have special learning needs that require a specialist or special education?
a. Yes
b. No
36. Do any of your children have a history of mental health problems?
a. Yes
b. No
37. Has anyone in your family ever been referred for psychological counseling?
a. Yes
b. No
38. Overall, I would rate my parenting skills:
a. Very Good
b. Good
c. Bad
d. Very Bad
39. Overall, the degree of happiness I feel being a parent is:
a. High
b. OK
c. Low
d. Very Low
40. Knowing what you know now about being a parent, would you still be a parent if you could do it all over again?
a. Yes
b. Probably
c. Probably Not
d. Absolutely Not
PART E- About My Knowledge of Nurturing Practices
41. Nurturing Parenting is:
a. Being a parent 24 hours a day, seven days a week
b. Taking care of your children and yourself
c. Making sure the needs of children always come first
d. Understanding that children need to be cared for throughout their lives
42. Holding and cuddling babies helps their brain grow.
a. Baby's brains are still developing after birth
b. Baby's brains are fully developed at birth
c. Baby's brains fully develop by the age of seven
d. Holding and cuddling babie shas very little to do with brain growth- proper nutrition enhances growth
43. Having appropriate expectations for children helps them:
a. Learn to feel good about themselves
b. Develop trust and security
c. Learn to succeed in school
d. All the above statements are true
44. Pick the right way to Praise a child for Being:
a. "You are such a good child for helping me"
b. "You make me feel so happy when you get good grades"
c. "You are a wonderful child"
d. "You are such a nice girl when you cooperate"
45. Pick the right way to Praise a child for Doing:
a. "Good job cleaning your room- Mommy really loves you"
b. "You sing really well"
c. "You did well but I know you will do better next time"
d. "Do well and make your family feel proud"
46. Discipline means:
a. To guide children by using the rod of correction
b. To guide children in learning morals and values
c. To teach children to be obedient
d. Telling children what to do so they behave
47. The rights and wrongs that we learn as children are called:
a. Family Morals
b. Family Beliefs
c. Family Traditions
d. Family Customs
48. Parental empathy means:
a. To be aware of and help children get their needs met
b. To quiet your children when they are upset
c. To care for children but not to spoil them
d. To teach children to help others get their needs met
49. Which of the following are good rewards to use as disciplines?
a. Praise
b. Hugs and other types of appropriate touch
c. Privilege like staying up a little later
d. At times, all these are good rewards
50. Family rules are important because:
a. Children need to learn to be obedient
b. Children need to learn how to cooperate
c. Children need to respect authority
d. Children need to listen to their parents
51. Why do parents spank their children?
a. Because parents were spanked as children
b. Because they love their children
c. To teach children right from wrong
d. Parents spank children for all these reasons
52. Teaching children to hit a pillow or punching bag is a good way for them to release their anger.
a. Hitting is a good way to release anger energy
b. Hitting teaches kids to hit when they're angry
c. Hitting is OK as long as you don't get carried away
d. Hitting something is a very quick way to calm down
53. Anger is:
a. Old feelings of hurt that are finally being expressed
b. A feeling that causes people to become violent
c. A good way to release stress
d. A good way to let others know you are mad at them
54. Our self-worth is:
a. Developed from the ways others think about us
b. Made up of the thoughts and feelings we have about ourselves
c. Learned in childhood and is difficult to change
d. Dependent on how well our children behave
55. It is important to nurture yourself because:
a. When parents get their needs met they can help their children get their needs met
b. If parents don't get their own needs met, they will soon feel burned-out
c. Nurturing parents take care of themselves and their children
d. All of the above
56. Parents should praise themselves in front of their children.
a. It's a good idea to model self-praise
b. Are you kidding- self praise is bragging
c. Children are going to think that is really weird
d. Not a good idea- that will definitely turn people off
57. Which of the following is a healthy way to mange and reduce stress?
a. Use a punching bag to release your energy
b. Get away and leave your kids for a while
c. Exercise daily and practice deep breathing
d. An easy chair, a cold drink and the kids at the neighbors
58. Which of the following childhood conditions are linked to "second hand smoke"?
a. Middle ear infections
b. Respiratory infections like croup and pneumonia
c. Reduced lung function; asthma
d. All of the above
59. To teach children empathy, it's a good idea to:
a. Develop family morals
b. Teach children to care for pets, plants, and things
c. Teach children to express their feelings
d. All of the above
60. Sexual self-worth is a term that refers to:
a. How good a lover you are
b. How "hot" others think you look
c. The respect you have for your body and sexuality
d. All of the above
61. When teaching children how to handle their feelings, it's a good idea to:
a. Teach them to keep their feelings to themselves
b. Teach them some feelings are good and some are bad
c. Teach them to hide bad feelings and share only good ones
d. Teach them to take responsibility for their feelings
62. Teens often give into peer pressure because:
a. Teens want to be liked and fit in
b. It's important to be accepted by everyone
c. Teens like to experiment
d. Peers are more important than family
63. Teens get involved in possessive and violent relationship because:
a. Being possessive means you really love the other person
b. They are modeling the relationship their parents had
c. Many teens like being controlled by another person
d. All of the above
64. When children are crying, nurturing parents:
a. Say "Shh- everything is OK"
b. Turn on the music louder so the child will fall asleep
c. Let the baby cry himself to sleep
d. Hold and massage the child while singing a lullaby
65. The risk of AIDS is increased by:
a. IV drug use
b. Tattoos and body piercing with contaminated needles
c. Increased number of sexual partners
d. All of the above
PART F- About My Use of Nurturing Skills
INSTRUCTIONS:
Rate how often you practice the following nurturing parenting and nurturing self-behaviors
0= Don't practice the skill at all
1= Sometimes
2= Often
3= Regularly
How often do I ...
66. Make time to nurture myself
0= Don't practice the skill at all
1= Sometimes
2= Often
3= Regularly
67. Recognize my personal strengths
0= Don't practice the skill at all
1= Sometimes
2= Often
3= Regularly
68. Respond to my children with empathy
0= Don't practice the skill at all
1= Sometimes
2= Often
3= Regularly
69. Give my children choices and consequences
0= Don't practice the skill at all
1= Sometimes
2= Often
3= Regularly
70. Have expectations of my children to succeed
0= Don't practice the skill at all
1= Sometimes
2= Often
3= Regularly
71. Hold, play, sing and read to my children
0= Don't practice the skill at all
1= Sometimes
2= Often
3= Regularly
72. Praise my children for "being" wonderful kids, for being loving, etc.
0= Don't practice the skill at all
1= Sometimes
2= Often
3= Regularly
73. Praise my children for "doing" their best, for cooperating, trying, etc.
0= Don't practice the skill at all
1= Sometimes
2= Often
3= Regularly
74. Model appropriate ways to manage stress
0= Don't practice the skill at all
1= Sometimes
2= Often
3= Regularly
75. Model appropriate ways to express anger
0= Don't practice the skill at all
1= Sometimes
2= Often
3= Regularly
76. Help my children improve their self-worth
0= Don't practice the skill at all
1= Sometimes
2= Often
3= Regularly
77. Refer to our family rules to help guide my children
0= Don't practice the skill at all
1= Sometimes
2= Often
3= Regularly
78. Use positive discipline rather than spank my children
0= Don't practice the skill at all
1= Sometimes
2= Often
3= Regularly
79. Praise my children when they are following the family rules
0= Don't practice the skill at all
1= Sometimes
2= Often
3= Regularly
80. Have awareness of my own needs
0= Don't practice the skill at all
1= Sometimes
2= Often
3= Regularly
81. Make time to get my needs met in healthy ways
0= Don't practice the skill at all
1= Sometimes
2= Often
3= Regularly
82. Help my children get their needs met in healthy ways
0= Don't practice the skill at all
1= Sometimes
2= Often
3= Regularly
83. Praise myself for being and doing
0= Don't practice the skill at all
1= Sometimes
2= Often
3= Regularly
84. Help my children learn positive ways to manage their feelings
0= Don't practice the skill at all
1= Sometimes
2= Often
3= Regularly
85. Express unconditional love for my children
0= Don't practice the skill at all
1= Sometimes
2= Often
3= Regularly
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