The Resilience, Adaptation and

Well-Being Project

Adolescents - Family Inventory of Life Events

and Changes

(A-FILE)

Email: mccubbinresilience@gmail.com Website: www.mccubbinresilience.org

A-FILE:
Adolescent-Family Inventory of Life Events and Changes

Overview
The Adolescent-Family Inventory of Life Events and Changes A-FILE, developed by Hamilton
McCubbin, Joan Patterson, Edward Bauman, and Linda Harris (1981), is designed to measure an
adolescent's perspective on family system and individual life events and changes as a critical factor in
explaining both vulnerability and resiliency in adolescents and young adults. The A-FILE is available in
both English and Spanish.

Development of A-FILE
The Adolescent-Family Inventory of Life Events and Changes (A-FILE) is a 50-item self-report
instrument designed to record normative and non-normative life events and changes an adolescent
perceives his or her family has experienced during the past 12 months (H.I. McCubbin, Patterson,
Bauman, & Harris, 1981). A-FILE also records certain life events (27 items which are a subset of the 50
items) a family experienced prior to the past year, an index to chronic stress. These events are those which
frequently take longer to adapt to or, by their nature, have chronic effects and hence generate a prolonged
residue of strain and possible distress.

• A-FILE measures recent family-adolescent-youth life events and changes.

• A-FILE measures chronic stressors and strains.
• A-FILE measures the family's and youth's vulnerability.
• A-FILE measures the pile-up of life events.

As a family life change inventory, all events experienced by any member of the family are recorded
since, from a family systems perspective, what happens to anyone member affects the others to some
degree. Families usually are dealing with several stressors simultaneously and A-FILE provides an index
of an adolescent's vulnerability as a result of the family pile-up. A-FILE was developed for completion by
adolescents/youth of junior and senior high school age (12-18 years) whether they live with their families
or not.
Each item in A-FILE is worded to reflect a change of sufficient magnitude to require some
adjustment in the regular pattern of interaction or behavior of family members. The emphasis is on
change, which may be either positive or negative.
Conceptual Organization In a first pretest, approximately thirty, 11th-graders at a suburban high school
completed A-FILE and suggested additional life events and changes which were a source of strain to them
(see Table 4.1). A second pretest was conducted with fifty 7th-, 10th- and 11th graders to determine
clarity of items, ease of administration and relative frequency of occurrence of the items.
 Table 4.1
Conceptual Dimensions of A·FILE

I. Transitions. There are 14 items in this scale which are related to role or status
transitions of family members, the addition of family members, or
geographical mobility of the family unit or a member. Items:
1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14.

II. Sexuality. The four items of this scale focus on pregnancy, childbearing and
the onset of sexual activity. Items: 15, 16, 17, 18.

III. Losses. There are seven items in this scale relating to the death of family
members, relatives, or friends and to the loss of property or income. Items:
19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25.

IV. Responsibilities and Strains. This scale has 19 items which focus on
interpersonal tensions and strains related to health care and finances. Items:
26,27,28,29,30,31,32,33,34,35,36,37,38,39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44.

V. Substance Use. This scale has four items focused on the use of drugs or
alcohol, conflict about substance use, or a premature exit from school. Items:
45,46,47,48.

VI. Legal Conflict. These two items focus on the arrest or assault of a family
member. Items: 49, 50.

Reliability
The overall internal reliability (Cronbach's alpha) for Total Recent Life Changes is .69. The wide
variability in the frequency of occurrence of the items precluded the achievement of acceptable levels of
internal consistency for the subscales with the exceptions of Responsibilities and Strains, (Cronbach's
alpha =.67) and Legal Conflict (Cronbach's alpha =.89).

Validity
Using data from a sample of 500 junior and senior high school students, three procedures were used to
reduce A-FILE to 50 items: (a) an analysis of the frequencies of occurrence of all the items; (b) factor
analysis followed by tests of internal reliability and test-retest reliability; and (c) reference to prior
research and theories regarding family life changes. While low frequencies guided the deletion and/or
combining of certain items, several infrequently occurring items were retained if they were considered
major stressors (e.g., death of a parent).
While Total Family Life Changes is the primary measure derived from A-FILE, an effort was
made to identify the specific underlying dimensions of stressful life changes by factor analyzing the total
set of items.
Caution must be used in this approach to data analysis and instrument construction in view of the
fact that: (a) occurrences of each family life change are not uniform; (b) we did not have an a priori
framework for clustering events except by broadly defined areas of family life; and (c) even after the
items were grouped, it was probable that the wide variance in frequency of occurrence would preclude the
achievement of acceptable levels of internal consistency to be used as subscales for future research.
Test-Retest Reliability
Test-retest reliabilities have been established for all the scales in A-FILE based on a sample of 74 junior
and senior high school students who completed A-FILE in their homes and two weeks later at their
schools. The test-retest reliability for Total Recent Life Changes experienced during the past year is .82.
The high test-retest reliabilities for each of the major scales for A-FILE are presented in Table 4.2.

Table 4.2
A-FILE Test-Retest Reliabilities For Adolescents Tested Two Weeks Apart

Test-Retest
A-FILE Scales
Reliabilities
Transitions .80
Sexuality .90
Losses .82
Responsibilities and Strains .69
Substance Use .81
Legal Conflict .81
Total Recent Life Changes .82
Total Past Life Changes .84
***p≤.001

Additional Validity Checks

Validity assessments of A-FILE were made by correlating the eight scales (six scales and Total Recent
Life Changes and Total Past Life Changes) with two outcome measures: adolescent substance use and
adolescent health locus of control. Adolescent-family life changes were correlated with adolescents'
reported use of chemical substances during the past month and during the past year. It was hypothesized
that a pile-up of family life events would be positively associated with the use of cigarettes and alcohol
and negatively associated with the non-use of cigarettes, alcohol and/or marijuana. Table 4.3 indicates
support for these hypotheses.
A second validity check on A-FILE was made by looking at the association between a pile-up of
life changes and three dimensions of Health Locus of Control (HLC) as measured by the Multi-
dimensional Health Locus of Control Scales (Wallston, Wallston, & DeVellu, 1978). These scales assess
the belief that the source of reinforcement for health-related behaviors is primarily: (a) internal or a result
of one's own behavior (IHLC); (b) under the control of powerful others (PHLC); or (c) a matter of chance
externality (e.g., fate, luck) (CHLC). It was hypothesized that a pile-up of life changes would be
negatively associated with internality (IHLC) and positively associated with powerful others (PHLC) and
chance externality (CHLC).
Data testing these hypotheses indicate that the greater the Total Recent Family Life Changes
(pile-up), the less the adolescents believe their health behaviors are under their own control (r = -.13, p ≤
.01). Additionally, the greater the number of intrafamily responsibilities and strains (scale IV), the greater
probability the adolescents believe that their health behaviors are controlled by powerful others and not
by themselves (r = +.16, p ≤ .01).
 Table 4.3
Adolescent-Family Life Changes In Association with Adolescent Substance Abuse

Cigarette Use Alcohol Use

1 1 No 1 1 No No
Month Year Smoking Month Year Alcohol Marijuana
Use Use
Transitions .07 .01 .03 .02 .06 -.09 .02
Sexuality .26** .18* -.18* .26** .17* -.11 -.29**
Losses .02 .07 .06 .02 .05 -.15 -.15
Responsibilities and .00 .09 .09 .29** .28** -.27** -.23**
Strains
Substance Use .23** .29** -.15* .18* .31** -.14* -.25**
Legal Conflict .07 .11 -.14 .13 .05 .00 .02
Total Recent Life .07 .18* -.10 .32** .27** .29** -.21**
Changes

* p ≤ .05
**p ≤ .01

Scoring Procedures
A total Recent Life Change score may be obtained for A-FILE by assigning each ofthe Yes responses a
value of 1 and each of the No responses a value of 0 and then summing these values for all of the items in
the During last 12 months column. A Total Past Life Changes score is obtained by assigning each of the
Yes responses a value of 1 and each of the No responses a value of 0 and then summing these values for
all of the items in the Before last 12 months column. A score for each of the subscales may be obtained by
following the same procedure of assigning each of the Yes responses a value of 1 and each of the No
responses a value of 0 and then summing these values for all of the items in each subscale. The list below
will help in determining which items belong to each subscale.

Subscale 1: Transitions 1 through 14

Subscale 2: Sexuality 15 through 18
Subscale 3: Losses 19 through 25
Subscale 4: Responsibilities & Strains 26 through 44
Subscale 5: Substance Use 45 through 48
Subscale 6: Legal Conflict 49 and 50

A weighted stress score can also be obtained using A-FILE. A common procedure used by stress
researchers (Coddington, 1972; Holmes & Rahe, 1967) is to assign standardized weights to each life
event which reflect the magnitude of change it requires if experienced by a family. Such standardized
weights were obtained for A-FILE from 88 adolescents in senior high (10th and 11th grades). The
adolescents were instructed to rate the 50 items listed in AFILE in terms of the relative degree of social
readjustment an average family must make in its usual pattern of life as a result of experiencing each life
event. Item 27 (Family member was hospitalized) was arbitrarily assigned a value of 50 and the
adolescents rated the other items proportionate to this. The standardized weights (arithmetic mean of the
88 assigned weights) for A-FILE are presented on the A-FILE instrument. By summing the weights for
each item that happened in a family, weighted scales and total scores can be obtained.
Norms and/or Comparative Data
The means and standard deviations for the A-FILE scales are reported in Table 4.4. These norms are
based on a sample of 500 junior and senior high school students.
Norms based on 197 male and 206 female adolescents (total = 403) are indicated in Table 4.5
(Norms for A-FILE).
Additional comparative data from a recent study of families of youth in residential treatment are
presented in Tables 4.6 through 4.11.

Notes

1. The earlier writings on this instrument included a comprehensive description of the instrument's
development. For the sake of brevity we limited the chapter to the basic information that users
have requested and needed. If you desire a copy and are unable to find our earlier publications,
either the 1987 or the 1991 edition, please write to us at the Center for Excellence in Family
Studies, Family Stress, Coping and Health Project, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1300
Linden Drive, Madison, WI 53706 or send email to manual@macc.wisc.edu. There will be a
charge for these additional materials.

2. When referencing this instrument, the proper citation is: McCubbin, H.I., Patterson, J., Bauman,
E., & Harris, L. (1981). Adolescent-Family Inventory of Life Events and Changes (A-FILE). In
H.I. McCubbin, A.I. Thompson, & M.A. McCubbin (1996). Family assessment: Resiliency,
coping and adaptation Inventories for research and practice. (pp. 179-211). Madison: University of
Wisconsin System.
 Table 4.4
Means and Standard Deviations For A-FILE Scales

Scale # of Items Mean* Standard

Deviation*
Transitions1 14 2 2
2
Sexuality 4 0 1
Losses 7 0 1
Responsibilities and Strains 3 19 4 3
Substance Use4 4 0 1
Legal Conflict 2 0 1
Total Recent Life Changes 50 7 4
Total Past Life Changes 27 8 6

*** Rounded to the next whole number of family life change

1.
Significant differences in frequency of occurrence between junior and senior high
school students based on the following items: a member started junior high or high
school; parent started school; brother or sister moved away; and young adult member
entered college, vocational training or armed forces.
2.
Significant differences in frequency of occurrence between junior and senior high
school students based on the following item: teenager began having sexual intercourse.
3.
Significant differences in frequency of occurrence between junior and senior high
school students based on the following items: child or teenage member resists doing
things with family; parents and teenagers have increased arguments (hassles) over use
of car or hours to stay out.
4.
Significant differences in frequency of occurrence between junior and senior high
school students based on the following items: family member uses drugs (not given by
doctor); family member drinks too much alcohol; child or teenage member was
suspended from school or dropped out of school.
 Table 4.5
Comparative Data for A-FILE

Raw Score Male (N = 197) Female (N = 206) Total

Percentile Percentile (N = 403)
1 (Low Stress) 98 99 99
2 94 95 95
3 88 89 88
4 79 79 79
5 71 71 71
6 60 60 60
7 52 48 50
8 (Moderate Stress 43 40 40
9 35 31 33
10 30 28 22
11 22 22 22
12 17 17 17
13 12 14 13
14 12 11 11
15 (High Stress) 10 10 10
Mean 7.66 7.41 7.53
Mode 10.32 8.82 10.06
SD 5.8 4.8 5.30
Skewness -2.85 -1.11 -2.24
Kurtosis 14.70 1.077 10.71
Range 45 25 45
 Table 4.6
Youth in Residential Treatment Program Adolescent Family Inventory of Life Events and
Changes Total Scale Overall (N=954)

Raw Scores Standard Scores Cumulative Percentiles

0 -2.4 .1
1 -2.2 .5
2 -2.1 1.3
3 -1.9 2.5
4 -1.8 4.2
5 -1.6 6.1
6 -1.5 8.5
7 -1.3 11.1
8 -1.2 13.8
9 -1.0 17.0
10 -0.9 22.4
11 -0.7 27.9
12 -0.5 33.3
13 -0.4 39.4
14 -0.2 45.5
15 -0.1 50.1
16 +0.1 56.4
17 +0.2 63.0
18 +0.4 68.6
19 +0.5 73.6
20 +0.7 78.2
21 +0.8 81.6
22 +1.0 85.0
23 +1.1 88.3
24 +1.3 90.8
25 +1.4 92.9
26 +1.6 94.7
27 +1.8 96.0
28 +1.9 97.2
29 +2.1 98.0
30 +2.2 98.7
31 +2.4 99.4
32 +2.5 99.5
33 +2.7 99.6
34-35 +3.0 99.8
36 +3.1 99.9
37-50 +3.9 100.0

Mean = 15.562
SD = 6.512
Range = 41
Kurtosis = -.098
Skewness = .230
Mode = 17.0
 Table 4.7
Youth in Residential Treatment Program Adolescent Family Inventory of Life Events
and Changes Chronic Stress Scale Overall (N=954)

Raw Scores Standard Scores Cumulative Percentiles

0 -1.8 2.4
1 -1.5 5.9
2 -1.3 11.6
3 -1.1 18.3
4 -0.9 25.8
5 -0.6 33.2
6 -0.4 42.5
7 -0.2 50.0
8 +0.1 59.7
9 +0.3 67.6
10 +0.5 73.9
11 +0.7 80.4
12 +1.0 84.9
13 +1.2 89.2
14 +1.4 92.2
15 +1.6 94.2
16 +1.9 96.5
17 +2.1 98.0
18 +2.3 98.8
19 +2.6 99.3
20 +2.8 99.6
21 +3.0 99.9
22- 27 +3.7 100.0

Mean = 7.761
SD = 4.393
Range = 24
Kurtosis = -.179
Skewness = .453
Mode = 8.0
 Table 4.8
Youth in Residential Treatment Program Adolescent Family Inventory of Life Events
and Changes Total Scale African-American (N=446)

Raw Scores Standard Scores Cumulative Percentiles

0 -2.3 .2
1 -2.2 .4
2 -2.0 1.6
3 -1.9 3.1
4 -1.7 4.9
5 -1.6 7.0
6 -1.4 8.5
7 -1.3 11.4
8 -1.1 13.9
9 -1.0 17.5
10 -0.8 22.0
11 -0.7 28.3
12 -0.5 32.7
13 -0.4 39.0
14 -0.2 44.8
15 -0.1 49.8
16 +0.1 55.2
17 +0.2 63.5
18 +0.4 68.2
19 +0.5 73.1
20 +0.7 77.4
21 +0.8 81.6
22 +1.0 85.0
23 +1.1 87.4
24 +1.3 90.4
25 +1.4 92.4
26 +1.6 93.9
27 +1.7 96.0
28 +1.9 97.1
29 +2.0 97.8
30 +2.2 98.4
31 +2.3 99.1
32-33 +2.6 99.3
34-35 +2.9 99.8
36-50 +3.8 100.0

Mean = 15.621
SD = 6.676
Range = 41
Kurtosis = -.076
Skewness = .258
Mode = 17.0
 Table 4.8
Youth in Residential Treatment Program Adolescent Family Inventory of Life Events
and Changes Chronic Stress Scale African-American (N=446)

Raw Scores Standard Scores Cumulative Percentiles

0 -1.7 2.7
1 -1.5 7.2
2 -1.3 13.5
3 -1.0 20.0
4 -0.8 28.0
5 -0.6 34.5
6 -0.4 43.9
7 -0.1 51.1
8 +0.1 60.5
9 +0.3 69.3
10 +0.6 76.0
11 +0.8 82.1
12 +1.0 86.3
13 +1.3 90.8
14 +1.5 93.9
15 +1.7 94.8
16 +1.9 96.4
17 +2.2 98.2
18 +2.4 98.7
19 +2.6 99.1
20 +2.9 99.6
21-27 +3.1 100.0

Mean = 7.534
SD = 4.368
Range = 21
Kurtosis = -.136
Skewness = .456
Mode = 6.0
 Table 4.10
Youth in Residential Treatment Program Adolescent Family Inventory of Life Events
and Changes Total Scale Caucasian (N=508)

Raw Scores Standard Scores Cumulative Percentiles

0-1 -2.3 .6
2 -2.1 1.0
3 -2.0 2.0
4 -1.8 3.5
5 -1.6 5.3
6 -1.5 8.5
7 -1.3 10.8
8 -1.2 13.8
9 -1.0 16.5
10 -0.9 22.8
11 -0.7 27.6
12 -0.6 33.9
13 -0.4 39.8
14 -0.2 46.1
15 -0.1 50.4
16 +0.1 57.5
17 +0.2 62.6
18 +0.4 68.9
19 +0.5 74.0
20 +0.7 78.9
21 +0.9 81.5
22 +1.0 85.0
23 +1.2 89.0
24 +1.3 91.1
25 +1.5 93.3
26 +1.6 95.3
27 +1.8 96.1
28 +2.0 97.2
29 +2.1 98.2
30 +2.3 99.0
31 +2.4 99.6
32 +2.6 99.8
33-50 +3.2 +100.0

Mean = 15.510
SD = 6.371
Range = 35
Kurtosis = -.286
Skewness = .200
Mode = 16.0
 Table 4.11
Youth in Residential Treatment Program Adolescent Family Inventory of Life Events
and Changes Chronic Stress Scale Caucasian (N=508)

Raw Scores Standard Scores Cumulative Percentiles

0 -1.8 2.2
1 -1.6 4.7
2 -1.4 10.0
3 -1.1 16.9
4 -0.9 23.8
5 -0.7 32.1
6 -0.4 41.1
7 -0.2 49.0
8 0.0 59.1
9 +0.2 66.1
10 +0.5 72.0
11 +0.7 78.9
12 +0.9 83.7
13 +1.1 87.8
14 +1.4 90.7
15 +1.6 93.7
16 +1.8 96.7
17 +2.0 97.8
18 +2.3 99.0
19 +2.5 99.4
20 +2.7 99.6
21 +3.0 99.8
22-27 +3.6 100.0

Mean = 7.961
SD = 4.410
Range = 24
Kurtosis = -.210
Skewness = .452
Mode = 8.0
 Table 4.12
Adolescent-Family Inventory of Life Events and Changes (A-FILE):
Select Published Reports

Author(s) Sample N Alpha Validity Notes

Count Reliability
Carty, L. (1989) Adolescents who received peer counseling 340 .69 • Adolescents who experience long term peer
compared to control groups to examine counseling will have a different stress pattern than
impact of peer counseling program on stress adolescents who do not.
& social support

Duong, D. NA NA NA • Doctoral Dissertation

(1994)

Guiao, I., & 2 comparison groups of normal & troubled 50 NA • Adolescent life stress was inversely related to
Esparza, D. Mexican American adolescents with depression, coping frequency & positively related to
(1995) Mexican American parentage, the ability to coping efficacy. Life stress was not different between
speak. & write English & 13-19 years old normal & troubled Mexican American adolescents.

Gunter, L.A NA NA NA • Doctoral Dissertation

(1993)
Hankin, D. NA NA NA • Doctoral Dissertation
(1994)
Harris, T., & Boys 15-19 years old at the Westbrook 47 .69 • Stressors were not a predictor of suicide.
Lennings, C. Youth Training Center
(1993)

Kaplan, K., & Parental couples whose child 15-19 years of 43 NA • Suicide & control groups were not significantly
Maldaver, M. age had completed a suicide & comparison different with regard to social stressors.
(1993) couples where children were matched to
those above but had not completed or
attempted a suicide

Killam, S. NA NA NA • Master’s Thesis

(1995)
 Table 4.12 (continued)

Adolescent-Family Inventory of Life Events and Changes (A-FILE):

Select Published Reports

Author(s) Sample N Alpha Validity Notes

Count Reliability
Lawler, M.K., Adolescents (age 15-18) with insulin-dependent 16 .69 • A majority of the adolescents experienced
Volk, R., diabetes for 1-10 years moderate to high levels of stress.
Viviani,
N., & Mengel,
M.B. (1990)

Lipp, E.J., & White adolescent males in high school (football 82 NA • No significant differences were found.
Trimble, N. athletes & non-football players)
(1993)

Marcal, S. NA NA NA • Doctoral Dissertation

(1992)

McCubbin, Adolescents who were part of a longitudinal 505 .69 • Adolescent stress was examined in relationship
H.L, Needle, study drawn from an HMO sample to adolescent substance use (alcohol, cigarettes
R., & & marijuana).
Wilson, M. • Adolescent-family stress & strains were
(1985) positively related to cigarette, alcohol, &
marijuana use for girls.
• In contrast, adolescent family stresses & strains
were related to cigarette & alcohol use only for
boys.

Needle, R., Su, Adolescents who sought or 74 .82 • Drug using adolescents reported more frequent
S., Doherty. were referred to treatment stressful life events in the family than did non-
W., Lavee, Y., for substance use (25), users.
& Brown, P. users who did not seek
(1988) treatment (25), &
non-users (24)
 Table 4.12 (continued)
Adolescent-Family Inventory of Life Events and Changes (A-FILE):
Select Published Reports

Author(s) Sample N Alpha Validity Notes

Count Reliability
Olson, D., McCubbin, H.L, Families at different stages of the life cycle 1140 .82 • Adolescents viewed dealing with
Barnes, H., Larsen, A, family as most stressful; parents
Muxen, thought most stress was finance
M., & Wilson, M. (1983) related.
• Adolescents consider day to day
hassles with parents major stressors.
• Normative data on youth-family
stress over the life cycle
• Predictor of family satisfaction &
distress

Peters, M. (1995) NA NA NA • Doctoral Dissertation

Ravert, A.A (1993) NA NA NA • Master’s Thesis

Reis, S., & Heppner, P. Mother-daughter pairs (31) where daughter was 47 NA • Daughters in the incest group
(1993) currently in therapy as a result of reported highly elevated family
acknowledgement of incest, compared to non- stress levels.
clinical pairs

Rubenstein, J., Heeren, T., Student volunteers grades 9-12 & adolescents 345 NA • The adolescent stress scale, an
Housman, D., Rubin, C., & (45) hospitalized in a private adaptation of A-FILE was used.
Stechler, G. (1989) psychiatric hospital • Life stress was found to be a major
external risk factor for suicide.
Rubin, C., Rubenstein, J., Student volunteers grades 9-12 drawn from the 300 NA • An adaptation of A-FILE was used.
Stechler, G., Heeren, T., public schools of a small New • Adolescents who reported higher
Halton, A., Housman, D., & England community levels of depressive affect
Kasten, L. experienced more life stress.
(1992)
 Table 4.12 (continued)
Adolescent-Family Inventory of Life Events and Changes (A-FILE):
Select Published Reports

Author(s) Sample N Alpha Validity Notes

Count Reliability
Slack, C. (1994) NA NA NA • Master’s Thesis

Stewart, E., McKenry, P., Rural adolescents & their parents from 4 rural 108 NA • Analyses indicated that higher levels
Rudd, N., & Gavazzi, S. counties in 1 midwestern state of depression were associated with a
(1994) greater number of life events.
• A greater number of life events was
related to poor parental
communication according to
adolescent, fathers' & mothers'
perceptions.

Taylor, J.S. (1994) NA NA NA • Master’s Thesis

Williamson, J., Borduin, Pairs of mothers & adolescents 12-17 years of age 50 .81 • Analysis showed that neglected
C., & Howe, B. (1991) from predominantly single-parent, lower-class adolescents reported the most life
homes. The subjects were divided into 4 groups: events/changes while physically &
neglect, sexual abuse, physical abuse & non- sexually abused adolescents still
maltreatment control. reported more than the non-
maltreated control.
 A-FILE
ADOLESCENT - FAMILY INVENTORY OF
LIFE EVENTS AND CHANGES

Spanish Version