The Italian adaptation of the Driving Anger Scale (DAS): examining measurement invariance and the role of blaming others as a mediator of the relationship between trait driving anger and aberrant driving behavior

Abstract

High levels of trait driving anger have been linked to aberrant driving behavior and higher proneness to be involved in a car crash. In the present study, we assessed the psychometric properties of the Italian adaptation of the Driving Anger Scale (DAS) in a large (>2000; 72% males) sample of Italian drivers examining measurement invariance across gender and age. Also, we examined whether the association between trait driving anger and aberrant driving behavior is mediated by a maladaptive form of cognitive emotion regulation, namely blaming others. The results showed that the six-factor structure of the DAS was overall confirmed with a few variations compared to the original scale. Weak measurement invariance was supported across gender and age, while strong and strict invariance were partially confirmed. Finally, the tendency to cope with negative events by blaming others mediated the association between driving anger and aberrant driving behavior in the male but not in the female sample. For both men and women, however, blaming others was positively associated with violations. Thus, attributions of blame to others could be targeted by clinical interventions for high-anger drivers and driver education courses in the attempt to reduce aberrant driving behavior and improve road safety.