Validation of a Measure of Psychological Aggression in Same-Sex Couples: Descriptive Data on Perpetration and Victimization and Their Association with Physical Violence

Abstract

Despite its documented elevated prevalence, psychological aggression in couple relationships rarely receives the same degree of attention as physical aggression. Indeed, psychological violence is much more prevalent than physical violence in couples, and its impact can be just as devastating. Research has recently begun to address psychological aggression in same-sex couples, but the most commonly used questionnaire for assessing intimate partner violence has yet to be fully validated with this population. The two objectives of the present study are (1) to present the first data on the psychometric properties of the psychological aggression scale of the Revised Conflict Tactics Scales (CST2; Straus, Hamby, Boney-McCoy, & Sugarman, 1996) with individuals in same-sex couple relationships, and (2) to examine the relationship between psychological aggression and physical violence in this population. Two hundred eighteen individuals (75 men and 143 women) participated in this study. Results support the factor structure, reliability, and concurrent validity of the psychological aggression scale. Rates of psychological and physical violence are reported, and results indicate that psychological aggression is strongly correlated with physical violence in same-sex couples. Gender differences are highlighted and the importance of developing valid and reliable instruments to measure this construct is emphasized.