| Intimate partner violence (IPV) has been recognized as a significant public health issue in our society that affects individuals of all ethnic, racial, and socioeconomic backgrounds. Extensive research has been conducted on the prevalence, correlates, and consequences of both physical and sexual abuse; however, the psychological aggression/abuse field is a relatively newer field as this phenomenon has only been studied as a separate construct for two decades. Recently, definitions of both psychological abuse and psychological aggression have been advanced. The purpose of the present study was to conduct a psychometric evaluation of two measures constructed to reflect these advancements: the Measure of Psychologically Abusive Behaviors (MPAB), a scale developed to measure psychological abuse, and the Follingstad Psychological Aggression Scale (FPAS), a scale developed to measure psychological aggression. Exploratory factor analyses revealed a one factor model for each measure. Internal consistencies, convergent, and discriminant validity were explored. The college sample was selected due to their increased risk of experiencing IPV. Consistent with research on this population, 98% of the current sample endorsed experiencing at least one form of psychological aggression within the past 12 months. The FPAS and MPAB demonstrated excellent reliability in the current sample with internal consistencies of .95 and .94 respectively. Tentative cut off scores were recommended for each measure. Implications of findings were discussed. |
