OUTCOME ACCOUNTABILITY

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PROTECTIVE FACTORS SURVEY

What is the Protective Factors Survey (PFS)?
The PFS is a pre-post evaluation tool for use with caregivers receiving child maltreatment prevention services.  It is a self-administered survey that measures protective factors in five areas: family functioning/resiliency, social support, concrete support, nurturing and attachment, and knowledge of parenting/child development.  A one-page overview of the tool can be viewed here.

How was the PFS developed?
The PFS is a product of the FRIENDS National Resource Center in collaboration with the University of Kansas Institute for Educational Research and Public Service. It was developed with the advice and assistance from CBCAP grantees, parents, researchers, administrators, workers, and experts specializing in family support and maltreatment and psychological measurement.  The survey has undergone three national field tests for establishing reliability and validity.  To view a report on the field tests and examine reliability and validity data, click here.

How is the PFS used?      
The primary purpose of the Protective Factors Survey is to provide feedback to agencies for continuous improvement and evaluation purposes.  The survey results are designed to help agencies measure changes in protective factors and identify areas where workers can focus on increasing individual family protective factors. A full set of instructions on how to administer the PFS can be found by clicking here. A powerpoint presentation on the tool and its use can be found by clicking here.

Does a database accompany the PFS?
Yes, a database was developed for managing PFS data and generating reports. Before downloading the database, please first open and read the “read me file” for instructions.

Is there a retrospective pre-test version of the PFS?
No. A field test is currently underway on a retrospective version of the tool, and if it is found valid and reliable, it will be posted on this website. The existing database has fields for entering retrospective data so when a retrospective tool is available, the same database may be used.

Protective Factors Survey Resources

pdf PFS tool
doc Database Read Me File
database PFS Database
pdf PFS Overview
pdf PFS User Manual
pdf PFS Field Test Report