Psychometric Properties of the Parental Lying Scenarios Scale (PLSS): Test–Retest Reliability, Validity, and Factor Structure

Abstract

ABSTRACT Most parents lie to their children. Parental lying has been linked to parent–child relationship quality and children's social and moral development, underscoring the importance of accurately measuring this behavior. Existing instruments primarily assess prevalence, focus on a particular subtype of parental lying only (i.e., parenting by lying), and their psychometric properties remain understudied. This study therefore introduces the Parental Lying Scenarios Scale (PLSS), a 40‐item self‐report instrument of parental lying prevalence and frequency across a broad range of parental lies. We assess its test–retest reliability, convergent and predictive validity, and factor structure. Data were collected from Dutch parents of children aged 5–12 years ( n = 247 for test–retest reliability and factor analysis; n = 316 for validity analyses). The PLSS demonstrated strong test–retest reliability and evidence for convergent and predictive validity. Exploratory Factor Analyses at two timepoints consistently identified two distinct factors: lying to influence children's behavior and lying to shape children's knowledge or emotions. This study provides initial support for the PLSS as a reliable and conceptually meaningful instrument for capturing a broader range of parental lying. The PLSS thereby offers a promising methodological foundation for future research on the antecedents and socio‐moral implications of parental lying for both parents and children.

The authors' abstract, as published at the source. Social Development, 2026 · DOI ↗