Abstract
The objective of this study was to develop and determine the psychometric properties of an instrument designed to detect traits and behavior that are associated with predatory violent behavior, which is defined as a determined, planned, controlled, and proactive aggression. The sample was comprised of 564 students, mostly in their last year of high school, or in their first year of college. The initial instrument had 78 items, ultimately resulting in 13 with good internal consistency (α = 0.825). Factor analysis showed four factors: anger-in, appeal for weapons, suicidal ideation, and the tendency to take justice into one’s own hands. Said factors showed significant correlations of convergent validity. Data shown here allows inferring that the instrument is a novel and concise tool that evaluates and detects the potential of predatory violent behavior.
Highlights
According to the World Health Organization [WHO] (2002) violence is “the intentional use of physical force or power, threatened or actual, against oneself, another person, or against a group or community that either results in or has a high likelihood of injury, death, psychological harm, maldevelopment, or deprivation.” violence is characterized as (a) an intentional act that (b) involves force or power with the aim of (c) causing harm (Goetz, 2010)
Because psychological factors have consistently received empirical support, this study considered these factors, as they may represent solid constructs for assessing predatory violence
The objective of this study is to develop an instrument that evaluates traits and behavior associated with the risk of predatory violence in school environment
Summary
According to the World Health Organization [WHO] (2002) violence is “the intentional use of physical force or power, threatened or actual, against oneself, another person, or against a group or community that either results in or has a high likelihood of injury, death, psychological harm, maldevelopment, or deprivation.” violence is characterized as (a) an intentional act that (b) involves force or power with the aim of (c) causing harm (Goetz, 2010). Violence has been classified in different ways: proactive, predatory, instrumental, affective, reactive, impulsive, and among others (Hanlon et al, 2013). All these categories can be identified in two large groups: affective (impulsive) and predatory (premeditated) (Siever, 2008). These modes of violence have different characteristics (Meloy, 2006). Affective violence is preceded by high levels of autonomic (sympathetic) arousal (Kockler and Meloy, 2007): is characterized by the emotions of anger and/or fear, and is a response to a perceived imminent threat. It has been suggested that the differences between both types of violence may be greater if better methods of assessing them were available (Card and Little, 2006)
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