Systematic Review of the Psychometric Properties of Culturally Responsive Domestic Violence Measures

Abstract

Domestic violence (DV) is a pervasive public health issue due to its high prevalence and the adverse effects it can have on individuals. Standardized measures can fail to account for within-group differences that are salient among diverse populations. The current review aims to systematically review and organize the psychometric studies of culturally responsive DV measures. The goal of the review is to inform researchers and practitioners about the validity and reliability of the existing measures to facilitate measure selection. Studies were included if they were validation studies of a DV measure, published in English in a peer-reviewed journal, demonstrated cultural responsivity, and provided evidence of validity or reliability. A total of seven studies were identified. Findings from this review showed that most participants were from South Asia or were South Asian immigrants. Some culturally specific tactics included being treated like a servant, eating last, being burned, and in-laws abuse. Most measures included in this review demonstrated compelling evidence of validity and reliability. More research is needed to develop and validate culturally responsive measures with distinctly diverse populations. Valid and reliable culturally responsive measures can be helpful for DV and non-DV service providers to precisely assess DV and provide appropriate services while documenting accurate DV prevalence rates.