The Predictability, Opportunity, and Safety Dimensions of Environmental Variability
(POS-DEV) Retrospective Scales
Download the scale and scoring here!
Kelsie Lopez, Nick Kathios, Cora Mukerji, and Laurel Gabard-Durnam
What does the POS-DEV-Retrospective measure?
The scale measures promotional/positive developmental experiences with caregivers, close friends, and adult role models across experience dimensions of psychosocial predictability, opportunity, and safety. The retrospective scale version allows adults to report on their own prior developmental experiences during childhood (6-12 years) and adolescence (13-18 years). The scale has been validated to allow for flexible use in study designs: a total POS-DEV score is computable, as are scores for each dimension, collapsing across social figures (total Opportunity, total Safety scores for assessing the impact of specific experience dimensions), scores for each social figure, collapsing across dimensions (total Caregiver, total Close Friend(s), total Adult Role Model positive scores for assessing the impact of specific social figures during development), as well as fine-grained analyses examining dimensions within social figures (e.g. Safety scores for primary caregivers, Opportunity scores with close friend(s). Each subscale has been empirically validated (see published manuscript) so users may administer any or all subscales that are useful for their studies. POS-DEV also includes questions that do not contribute to scoring but provide context and additional information about timing and duration of experiences for participants. Please see published manuscript and questions below for further information about the scale and we welcome you to reach out to us!
What age range is validated for the POS-DEV-Retrospective scale?
We have validated the scale with samples ranging from 18 - 65 year olds in the United States.
What is the test-retest reliability for the POS-DEV-Retrospective scale?
We’ve assessed test-retest reliability over ~6 months in our sample using Intraclass Correlation Coefficients (ICC).
Overall POS-DEV-R Childhood scores demonstrate excellent reliability (ICC = 0.76).
Overall POS-DEV-R Adolescence scores demonstrate excellent reliability (ICC = 0.82).
For complete list of subscale reliability, please see manuscript (all subscales demonstrate good-excellent reliability).
Who counts as a positive adult role model?
We allow participants to nominate any adult who lived outside their home whom they consider a positive influence in their life during development. This could be a relative who did not live with them (e.g., grandparents, aunts), a neighbor, a community or spiritual leader, a family friend, a teacher or a coach, etc. Participants in our studies nominate a wide variety of individuals for the positive adult role model (see published manuscript for descriptives).
Can I use this scale prospectively with adolescents?
We are actively validating the scale structure for prospective use with developing populations. If you are collecting or would like to collect POS-DEV with children and/or adolescents and would like to contribute to this effort, we would welcome you reaching out to us to discuss collaborative opportunities!
How do I credit the POS-DEV-Retrospective Scale?
Please cite the following manuscript for this scale:
Lopez, K.L., Kathios, N., Mukerji, C., Gabard-Durnam, L.J. The Predictability, Opportunity, and Safety Dimensions of Environmental Variability (POS-DEV) Retrospective Scale: A new tool to retrospectively assess positive early life experiences. (in press, 2026) Assessment.
link coming soon