The Turkish Adaptation of Father-Daughter Relationship Inventory: Factorial Structure and Associations with Self-Esteem, Sexual Self-Schema and Attachment in Romantic Relationships

Abstract

Existing research on parenthood has predominantly focused on mothers, comparatively underemphasizing the emotional and relational roles of fathers-particularly in traditional cultural contexts such as Turkey. The present research aimed to adapt the Father-Daughter Relationship Inventory (FDRI) to the Turkish context and to examine its psychometric properties and psychological correlates across three independent samples of Turkish women aged 18 to 66 years. In Study 1 (N = 368; Mage = 31.21, SD = 10.39), exploratory factor analysis supported a correlated three-factor structure reflecting emotional responsiveness and communication, validation and competence, and conventionality. The adapted version did not include the intimacy dimension present in the original scale. Study 2 (N = 85, Mage= 28.49, SD = 7.99) demonstrated satisfactory test-retest reliability over a one-week interval. In Study 3 (N = 512; Mage = 25.18, SD = 3.63), confirmatory factor analysis provided support for the refined three-factor structure, and predictive validity was evaluated by examining associations with women's self-esteem, romantic attachment styles, and sexual self-schema. Across studies, a more positive father-daughter relationship was associated with higher self-esteem, more secure attachment patterns, and a more positive sexual self-schema. Although the conventionality subscale demonstrated modest reliability due to its two-item structure, it was uniquely associated with women's sexual self-schema. Overall findings support the structural validity and cultural relevance of the Turkish FDRI.