PARENTAL SUPPORT FOR PHONIC INSTRUCTION AND READING SKILLS SCALE (PSPIRSS)

Early literacy acquisition is influenced by systematic phonics instruction and parental engagement in home-based reading practices. Despite extensive research on parental involvement, there is a paucity of standardized tools that specifically assess phonics-focused parental support at the elementary level. This study aimed to develop and validate the Parental Support for Phonic Instruction and Reading Skills Scale (PSPIRSS). An initial pool of 48 items was generated based on established theoretical frameworks and empirical evidence. Following expert review and pilot testing with 100 elementary students, item discrimination analysis using the extreme group method resulted in a refined 38-item scale. The final instrument demonstrated strong internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = 0.89), with subscale reliabilities ranging from 0.79 to 0.87. The PSPIRSS comprises five dimensions: Reading Skills, Parental Assistance in Reading, Parental Support in Phonics Practice, Home Reading Environment, and Emotional–Motivational Support. Findings indicate that the instrument is psychometrically sound and offers a reliable framework for assessing parental engagement in phonics instruction.