Risk Factors For Violence Research Articles

Prevalence and risk factors of domestic violence among women attending primary health care centers in Al-Ahsa Region, Saudi Arabia

Prevalence and risk factors of domestic violence among women attending primary health care centers in Al-Ahsa Region, Saudi Arabia

A Culturally Appropriate Asset-based Juvenile Crime Prevention Pilot: “Wrap and Map”

The City of Memphis has some of the highest crime and violence rates in the United States. Unfortunately, a portion of these crimes is attributed to our youth population. Crime rates and violence committed by or against youth and/or juveniles is steadily on the rise with the numbers climbing each year. Studies have shown that more than half of violent crimes committed in Memphis are committed by youth under twenty-four years of age (Operation Safe Community). Many children in Memphis live in poverty; this increases the risk factor for youth violence. Most of the juveniles arrested and jailed for crime and violence are minorities, an overwhelming number of these being African American. One intervention implemented by the City of Memphis, the “Wrap and Map” approach, integrated intervention and prevention programs consisting of empowerment and culture based wraparound and asset mapping techniques to support at risk youth. The purpose of this article is to explore and describe this program. This article will explore the demand for this program, its purpose and history, and lessons learned.

Boldness, meanness and disinhibition as predictors of indirect/direct type of aggressive behavior in youth.

Numerous studies show that a high level of psychopathic traits in youth is related to the propensity to use various types and forms of aggression. The presented study focuses on the relations between psychopathy and aggression, both indirect (relational) and direct in this age group. The triarchic model of psychopathy was used, according to which psychopathy is described as a configuration of boldness, meanness and disinhibition. It was assumed that boldness would be a predictor for indirect aggression and disinhibition - for the direct forms of aggressive behaviors. The sample consisted of 200 older adolescents (108 boys and 92 girls), aged 16-19. Two groups were distinguished for comparison: juveniles from youth fostering centers and youth not violating legal norms. For the measurement of the variables the following self-reports were used: Triarchic Psychopathy Measure, Indirect Aggression Scale (Aggressor Version) and Aggression Questionnaire. From among the dimensions of psychopathy, the strongest predictor for both forms of aggression (indirect and direct) was disinhibition. The study also revealed the differences in the intensity of psychopathic traits and aggressive behaviors with reference to gender and institutionalization. However, the hypothesis on the relationship between boldness and indirect aggression was not confirmed. The results showed that disinhibition and meanness can be considered as significant personality risk factors for aggressive behaviors and violence not only in adults but also in adolescents. The study supported also the heterogeneity of the triarchic model of psychopathy itself.

Analysis of the Relationship Between Sexual Violence and Assertive Behavior in Young Spanish Adults

Abstract Introduction Research on sexual violence is of particular importance because of the prevalence and consequences of such violence in the young adult population. The identification of possible protective factors may be one step towards helping ameliorate this problem. We therefore analyzed the relationship between sexual violence and assertive behaviors in a population of young adults. Method A cross-sectional, correlational study. Data were collected between February 7, 2022, and August 9, 2022, in a population of young adults from Spanish universities. The sample consisted of 473 young adults between 19 and 24 years of age. Results The prevalence of violence perpetrated and experienced in the sample was high. Men reported a higher level of violence perpetration than women. Relationships are indicated between different types of assertive behaviors and sexual violence. In this regard, a higher degree of assertive behavior as a response is a protective factor against experiencing sexual violence in both sexes, while non-assertive behavior is a risk factor. In the case of sexual violence perpetration, overly assertive behavior is a risk factor. Conclusions A number of assertive behaviors were identified that may be considered risk or protective factors for sexual violence. Policy Implications Research enables the development of targeted, evidence-based intervention programs that can lead to a reduction in sexual violence in the young adult population.

Domestic violence against Iranian pregnant adolescents: protective and risk factors.

Domestic violence is an important health, which has serious impacts on women's health. The study aimed to discover the protective and risk factors of domestic violence among pregnant adolescents. In the analytical cross-sectional study, 255 eligible pregnant women aged 14-20 years who have been referred to Al-Zahra Hospital, in northern Iran between September 2020 and March 2022 participated. Demographical characteristics were recorded by a questionnaire. Domestic violence was assessed using the instrument of violence against women. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the basic features of the data. The frequency of physical, emotional, and sexual violence was respectively 13.33%, 23.52%, and 9.01%. The risk factors included the spouse's substance use (OR 2.41, 95% CI 1.25-4.62), spouse's low education (OR 1.41, 95% CI 1.12-3.52), spouse's unemployment (OR 1.14, 95% CI 1.03-1.57) and domestic violence exposure in childhood (OR 1.85, 95% CI 1.46-2.51). Higher education for women was a protective factor for domestic violence (OR 0.70, 95% CI 0.45-0.83). The education level is a protective factor against domestic violence among pregnant adolescents. These results can help to design the most appropriate prevention programs to reduce the risk factors for violence among pregnant adolescents.

Evaluation of Psychological and Physical Violence towards Children and Adolescents before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic in the Lodz Voivodship.

It has been shown that the course of COVID-19 infection in the under-18 population was in many cases sparsely symptomatic. In contrast, the impact of the pandemic on the psychological state is quite different. The risk of psychopathological symptoms in children and adolescents increased and the course of already present psychiatric disorders has often been exacerbated. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of psychological and physical violence among children and adolescents and its change during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as to investigate various factors that might affect violence. In this survey study, 782 responses were included, with 480 collected during the second and 302 during the fourth wave of COVID-19. In this cross-sectional study, an anonymous questionnaire was used to collect demographic data, medical history, mental state, psychopathological symptoms, as well as the presence of psychological, physical violence, and suicidal self-harm behaviors before (retrospectively) and during the COVID-19 pandemic in the under-18 population of the Lodz Voivodship. The survey was prepared using Google Forms. A decrease in the prevalence of physical violence during both waves of the pandemic has been observed (6.39% vs. 3.45%; p < 0.001), with only a similar trend present for psychological violence 16.75% vs. 14.71%; p = 0.081). No difference between physical and psychological violence was present in different pandemic waves, type of flat or house individuals lived in, availability of one's room, number of people living in the house, number of siblings, and type of school classes (p > 0.050). Older children (>15 years old) were more likely to be victims of psychological violence before and during the pandemic (both p < 0.001). A statistically significant model was obtained for psychological violence before (p < 0.001, R2 = 0.011) and during the pandemic (p = 0.007, R2 = 0.032). Risk factors for psychological violence before the pandemic included male gender (B = 0.531, p = 0.009, OR = 1.700), older age (B = 0.869, p = 0.001, OR = 2.385), and smaller city size (B = -0.187, p = 0.004, OR = 0.829), while for psychological violence during the pandemic, the risk factors were only male gender (B = 0.482, p = 0.022, OR = 1.620) and older age (B = 0.555, p = 0.046, OR = 1.742). No statistically significant models were created for physical violence (p > 0.050). The observed decrease in physical violence during the COVID-19 pandemic suggests that in the studied group, home environment was not the main source of physical violence. Yet, we did not find any predicting factors for this form of violence. Violence, both physical and psychological, is a dangerous phenomenon in the under-18 population both in the pre-pandemic period and in crisis situations such as the pandemic.

A Common Psychology of Male Violence? Assessing the Effects of Misogyny on Intentions to Engage in Violent Extremism, Interpersonal Violence and Support for Violence against Women

ABSTRACT The growing evidence base of risk factors for violent extremism demonstrates overlaps with different types of gender-based violent behaviours, such as intimate partner violence, sexual assault, and sexual harassment. Each of these manifestations of violence are, to a varying extent, underpinned by misogynistic and hypermasculine attitudes and behaviours. The present analysis aims to address the limited empirical research on the links between misogyny, violent extremism, and gender-based violence by conducting survey-based analyses employing a newly developed and validated psychometric scale to measure misogyny. Based on a U.K. nationally representative survey (n = 1500), we examine the underlying mechanisms and contingent effects linking misogyny to violent extremism, interpersonal violence, and violence against women. The results show that misogyny predicts violent extremist intentions, willingness to engage in interpersonal violence and increased support for violence against women via revenge planning and hypermasculinity, particularly among men who experience a sense of violated entitlement and greater threats to the ingroup. Among women, misogyny is not associated with violent extremist intentions but is associated with readiness to use interpersonal violence and with increased support for violence against women. Our findings largely suggest a common psychology underlying different types of male violence. This has important practical implications, (1) suggesting that misogyny is a shared risk factor which underpins different types of male violence, (2) highlighting the mechanisms which link misogyny to (extremist) violence, (3) while further providing evidence which articulates when and for whom misogyny may be a risk factor. Establishing the relevance of misogyny as a risk factor for extremist and gender-based violence provides evidence pointing towards the potential benefits of incorporating misogyny within existing (extremist) risk assessment tools. Identifying shared mechanisms via which misogyny exerts its effects on different forms of male-perpetrated violence, further offers initial evidence to inform programmatic approaches to prevent and counter gender-based and targeted violence.

Women's perceived working conditions in the mining industry: A qualitative study.

Women's status in society has been contested over the years, with arguments centred on the deliberate marginalisation of women by ancient policies and legislations, which compelled women to assume secondary status in society. This study aimed at exploring and describing the perceptions of women on working conditions in the mining industry. A qualitative, explorative and descriptive design was followed. The study was conducted at a mining industry based in Mpumalanga Province. Ten women were purposively selected to participate in the study. Data were collected through in-depth semi-structured face-to-face interviews. Data were analysed using Tech's method of qualitative analysis. Three themes and categories emerged from data analysis. The themes that emerged were: Benefits for women in the mining industry, work conditions-related challenges for women in the mining industry and opportunities for growth and development of women in the mining industry. Despite the employment of women in the mining industry, the women echoed that mining remains a male-dominated place of employment. The study revealed that although the mining industry is still a male-dominated environment, women are generally content to be working at the mines. A lot of transformation should take place to make mining a women-friendly place of employment. The relevance of this study for mental health is that gender equality is a risk factor for gender-based violence. Furthermore, facing discrimination can also result in anxiety and psychological trauma that can negatively affect a woman's sense of well-being and success.

Risk Factors for Sexual Violence in Adolescents : Literature Review

Introduction: Every year sexual violence cases increase and become a widely heard issue in the community. The increase in cases that occur requires research that examines what the risk fator affects. The purpose of this study was to analyze scientific articles related to what are the risk factors for sexual violence in adolescents. Material and Methods: The research employed literature review. The literature consists of journals with a travel year from 2018 to 2022. Literature collection was done through Google scholar, Pubmed, and ScienceDirect using the keyword “sexual violence”, “risk factor”, and “teenager”. Results: The results of the literature search 34.927 articles found in the database regarding entered keywords; however 34.917 articles in the last five years were excluded because they were not relevant to the author’s criteria. There were 5 articles that met the inclusion criteria, however only six articles categorized as good quality. Conclusion : Review results show that have any risk factors affecting sexual violence of a teenager, among other things gender, alcohol, age, sexual disorder, family, gadget, environmnet, disability, a poor parental education, economic, lust, religion, dating, and sexual intercourse.

When the ward is the patient: Using the PRISM protocol to understand and reduce violence in an inpatient intellectual disability setting.

Violence in inpatient settings is recognised as a worldwide issue, with inpatient intellectual disability services having higher rates than other mental health settings. Violence results in injury and illness, lack of confidence in the organisation and staff burnout. These combined effects have a negative impact on the ability of services to provide therapeutic environments. Attempts to manage violence tend to focus on the individual. This is only one part of the solution. Situational risk factors for violence within secure settings can be identified and modified to reduce violence rates. The role of situational risk factors in rates of institutional violence requires consideration in addition to individual patient risk assessment and management. To discuss an illustrative case study of a ward experiencing high levels of violence, resulting in staff burnout and low morale. To describe how assessing and addressing the relevant situational risk factors led to demonstrable reductions in violence and improvements in the service provided. This case study demonstrates the practical application of assessing and managing situational risk factors for violence in a locked intellectual disability ward in order to effectively reduce levels of violent incidents. A description of the violence and critical issues faced by the ward is provided, noting key elements of the timeline of events and the application of the Promoting Risk Intervention by Situational Management (PRISM) process to address these. The PRISM protocol enabled a comprehensive assessment and understanding of situational factors relevant to the violence rates in the ward. The recommendations following the analysis enabled the management team to identify areas for immediate and long-term action. Practical steps to address issues such as improving soundproofing were implemented quickly whilst other issues required changes over the longer term. Significantly, reduced levels of violence were observed within a 2-month period of immediate steps being taken, with further gains achieved over the longer term. This paper provides the only example of the use of the PRISM protocol in an intellectual disability inpatient setting. The reduction in violence seen in this unit provides 'real world' evidence that addressing situational factors for institutional violence can be effective in intellectual disability inpatient settings, with beneficial outcomes for patients and staff. Whilst individual patient risk assessment and risk management are key components of forensic mental health care, situational risk factors for violence are highly relevant to rates of violence within secure care settings. Structured assessment of situational risk factors should be considered when inpatient settings experience persistent high levels of violence. Further research on the impact of assessing situational risk factors in forensic mental health settings (including intellectual disability services) would help to develop the existing evidence base.

Intimate Partner Violence among College Women: A Single-Centred Cross-Sectional Study

This study aimed to identify the prevalence of sexual violence between intimate partners among college women at Ankara University. The depression symptoms were compared with the history of their sexual abuse in the past and in six months. The study, a cross-sectional observational study was conducted on 400 college women. Intimate partner sexual violence was evaluated using the Intimate Partner Violence Victim version and depression was evaluated with the Personal Health Questionnaire-9. Study data were evaluated using statistics such as number, percentage, and mean Mann-Whintey U test, and sample t-test. Sexual violence between intimate partners is present during romantic relationships in college women. Using tobacco, alcohol compulsion, or substance abuse are risk factors for sexual violence with an intimate partner. Furthermore, depression is double diagnosed in college women with sexual violence from intimate partners.

Qualitative perspectives on COVID-19, interpersonal violence, and interventions to improve well-being from adolescent girls and young women in Kisumu, Kenya.

Adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) face a high burden of gender-based violence (GBV) worldwide. The COVID-19 pandemic and associated policies led to global increases in GBV, decreased access to resources, and disruptions of pathways to care. We aimed to understand the effects of COVID-19 on AGYW affected by GBV in Kisumu, Kenya, as well as to identify possible interventions to mitigate those effects. Focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted with AGYW aged 15-25 with a history of exposure to GBV. AGYW were split into age-matched groups; aged 15-19 for younger groups and 19-25 for older groups. Discussions focused on how COVID-19 affected experiences of GBV, access to care services, economic and social outcomes, and opportunities for interventions to mitigate negative impacts of COVID-19 and violence. Five FGDs with 46 AGYW were completed in June-September 2021. AGYW described increases in all types of GBV, particularly sexual abuse and intimate partner violence. Early marriage and subsistence transactional sex also increased. AGYW described violence as both a cause and effect of poor economic, social and health consequences related to the pandemic. Notably, AGYW emphasized stress, lack of mental health support and increased substance use as risk factors for violence, and discussed the deleterious mental health effects of violence-particularly in the wake of disruption of mental health services. COVID-19 disrupted referrals to violence-related services, and reduced access to both medical services and psychosocial services. AGYW believed that interventions focused on improving mental health as well as economic empowerment would be the most feasible and acceptable in mitigating the negative effects of COVID-19 and related exacerbations in violence. AGYW reported increases in almost all forms of GBV during the pandemic, with related exacerbation in mental health. Concurrently, AGYW endorsed decreased access to care services. As there is no evidence that violence and mental health challenges will quickly resolve, there is an urgent need to identify and implement interventions to mitigate these negative effects.

Adolescent Contact, Lasting Impact? Lessons Learned From Two Longitudinal Studies Spanning 20 Years of Developmental Science Research With Justice-System-Involved Youths

In this article, we summarize key findings from 20 years of research conducted at the intersection of developmental psychology and juvenile justice in the United States. We predominantly examine data from two large-scale, multisite longitudinal studies involving justice-system-involved adolescents—the Pathways to Desistance study and the Crossroads study. Topics of discussion include predictors of offending and desistance from crime; youth outcomes and psychosocial needs; and emerging research, programs, and policy initiatives. First, individual-level (e.g., age, psychosocial maturity) and contextual-level (e.g., antisocial peers, exposure to violence) risk factors associated with offending are explored. Second, we discuss short-term and long-term outcomes of justice-system contact for youths engaging in moderate offenses. We highlight main findings from the Crossroads study indicating that youths who are sanctioned by the justice system at their first arrest have worse outcomes than youths who are diverted from formal processing. Additionally, we discuss the high prevalence of youths’ exposure to violence and mental health disorders as well as the differential treatment of youths of color in the justice system. Third, we extend the conversation to justice-system-involved young adults and discuss emerging, innovative legal solutions, including young adult courts. Last, we discuss real-world implications of these findings.

Emergency department staff experiences of the Bröset Violence Checklist.

Work-related violence is a significant problem in healthcare settings and emergency departments are one of the highest at-risk locations. There have been significant challenges in identifying successful risk-mitigation strategies to reduce the incidence and impact of work-related violence in this setting. This research explores the perspectives of clinical staff who routinely use violence risk assessment to provide recommendations for improvements. This qualitative research used interviews of staff who routinely use of the Bröset Violence Checklist in an emergency department. The study was conducted in April 2022. Interview transcripts were subjected to Thematic Analysis to explore participants' clinical experiences and judgements about the utility of the Bröset Violence Checklist. Eleven staff participated in semi-structured interviews. Participants described themes about the benefits of routine violence risk assessment and the influence of the subjective opinion of the scorer with respect to the emergency department patient cohort. Four categories of violence risk factors were identified: historical, clinical, behavioural and situational. Situational risks were considered important for tailoring the tool for context-specificity. Limitations of the BVC were identified, with recommendations for context-specific indicators. Routine violence risk assessment using the Bröset Violence Checklist was deemed useful for emergency departments, however, it has limitations. This study's findings offer potential solutions to reduce violence affecting front-line workers and practical processes that organizations can apply to increase staff safety. The findings produced recommendations for future research and development to enhance utility of the Bröset Violence Checklist. EQUATOR guidelines were adhered to and COREQ was used. No patient or public contribution was involved in this study.

Patterns, prevalence and risk factors of intimate partner violence and its association with mental health status during COVID-19: a cross-sectional study on early married female adolescents in Khulna district, Bangladesh

ObjectivesThis study was designed to identify the patterns, prevalence and risk factors of intimate partner violence (IPV) against female adolescents and its association with mental health problems.DesignCross-sectional survey.SettingsDumuria Upazila (subdistrict)...

Evaluation of Traditional Risk Factors for Intimate Partner Violence among Sexual and Gender Minority Youth.

Sexual and gender minority youth assigned female at birth (SGM-AFAB) experience higher rates of intimate partner violence (IPV) than heterosexual and cisgender youth. To inform efforts to reduce these disparities, we explored whether IPV risk factors identified in the general population are associated with IPV among SGM-AFAB young people. Using multiwave longitudinal data from a 400 SGM-AFAB youth (ages 16-20 at baseline), we estimated between- and within-persons effects of demographic/contextual characteristics (gender, sexual identity, race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status), developmental/background factors (childhood violence), and psychological/behavioral factors (antisocial behavior, depression, problematic alcohol and cannabis use) on a range of IPV experiences (victimization and perpetration of psychological, physical, sexual, and SGM-specific IPV). In this SGM-AFAB sample, IPV experiences were associated with many traditional risk factors identified in the general population, including race, economic stress, childhood violence, antisocial behavior, depression, and use of substances (particularly cannabis). In contrast to previous research, we did not find that SGM youth with transgender or gender nonbinary identities, or with bi- or pan-sexual identities, were at greater risk for IPV than other SGM youth. Very few putative risk factors were associated with SGM-specific IPV. Findings suggest SGM youth could benefit from IPV prevention approaches that target common risk factors at multiple ecological levels (policies to reduce poverty and racism, parenting programs, interventions to reduce mental health and substance use problems). Continued research is needed to explore how risk for IPV among SGM-AFAB youth may vary by gender identity, sexual identity, and stigma-based experiences.

Risk factors for domestic violence during the COVID-19 pandemic-a multi-country longitudinal survey

Abstract Background A pressing public health issue exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic is domestic violence. The lockdowns harshened its major risk factors, such as financial strain, substance use, low social support, and also confined victims with their abusers. Cross-sectional studies confirm most of these associations, but longitudinal evidence is lacking. We investigate the association of domestic violence victimisation with these factors across the stages of the pandemic internationally and the characteristics linked with first vicitmisation in the pandemic. Methods We used four waves of an online survey of the adult general population of 14 countries in five continents in May 2020-May 2022 (N = 6051). Partner and child abuse were assessed with single items, sociodemographics and COVID-19 related data with Likert-type items, substance use and social support with validated scales. The Oxford Lockdown Stringency Index was used. Differences by onset of violence were tested with chi-squared, ANOVA and Kruskal-Wallis tests, and the associations with mixed effects logistic regression. Results Results are preliminary. Survivors with onset of violence before and during the pandemic were quite similar and differed from those not victimised in financial strain and social support. Social support (OR .83 CI .76-.91), employment status, especially unemployed (OR 5.24 CI 1.98-13.87), and polysubstance abuse (OR 2.22 CI 1.25-3.95) significantly predicted violence across time controlled for demographics. Lockdown stringency had no significant effect (OR 1.0 CI .98-1.01). Conclusions The findings are in line with the literature and clarify that the most robust financial strain proxy across time is unemployment. Pre-existing demographic, economic and health-related vulnerabilities remain impactful across countries and individuals, so screening by healthcare providers for victimisation should be targeted and policies should focus on maintaining financial stability, particularly in the long run. Key messages • The socio-economic repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic are more impactful than confinement on the long-term risk of domestic violence internationally. • Cases of domestic violence with onset during the pandemic show similar socio-economic vulnerabilities as those with onset before.

The Association of Alcohol Use and Child-to-Parent Violence in Mexican Adolescents

Background: Addictions can modify the dynamics, communication, and establishment of assertive relationships in the family nucleus, situations that can cause different types of family violence. A phenomenon of special interest is child-to-parent violence or children’s violence toward their parents. This type of violence can be exercised physically (hitting, kicking, shoving), verbally (shouting, blackmailing and insulting) and economically (using a card, stealing money or belongings from the parents). Although is generally supported that child-to-parent violence may be associated with alcohol-induced aggressiveness and lack of control, there is less evidence of a possible differentiation regarding the sex of the parents. Objective: Analyze the relationship and effect of alcohol on child-to-parent violence according to the parents’ sex. Methods: This was a predictive study of 265 adolescents between 12 and 19 years of age. Data were collected from social networks using two self-applied instruments (the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test and the Conflict Tactics Scale: Parent-Child Version) programmed with the Survey Monkey® digital platform. Results: Of the adolescents studied, 66.8% had consumed alcohol at some time in their lives; of these, 6.6% had harmful consumption. A positive relationship was found between alcohol involvement scores and economic violence toward the mother and father. The former was supported by regression models where alcohol involvement predicted child-to-parent economic violence directed toward mothers and fathers. Conclusions: It is important to develop activities to prevent alcohol consumption as a risk factor for violence and to promote family integration in adolescents and their families.

Psychological framework to understand interpersonal violence by forensic patients with psychosis.

Forensic patients with psychosis often engage in violent behaviour. There has been significant progress in understanding risk factors for violence, but identification of causal mechanisms of violence is limited. To develop a testable psychological framework explaining violence in psychosis - grounded in patient experience - to guide targeted treatment development. We conducted in-depth interviews with 20 patients with psychosis using forensic psychiatric services across three regions in England. Interviews were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. People with lived experience contributed to the analysis. Analysis of interviews identified several psychological processes involved in the occurrence of violence. Violence was the dominant response mode to difficulties that was both habitual and underpinned by rules that engaged and justified an attack. Violence was triggered by a trio of sensitivities to other people: sensitivity to physical threat, from which violence protected; sensitivity to social disrespect, by which violence increased status; and sensitivity to unfairness, by which violence delivered revenge. Violence was an attempt to regulate difficult internal states: intense emotions were released through aggression and violence was an attempt to escape being overwhelmed by voices, visions or paranoia. There were different patterns of emphasis across these processes when explaining an individual participant's offending behaviour. The seven-factor model of violence derived from our analysis of patient accounts highlights multiple modifiable psychological processes that can plausibly lead to violence. The model can guide the research and development of targeted treatments to reduce violence by individuals with psychosis.

Beliefs Supporting Cyber Intimate Partner Violence: Scale Development and Preliminary Psychometrics

There is limited research on risk and protective factors for cyber intimate partner violence (IPV), such as normative beliefs supporting cyber IPV. The purpose of this study was to develop a measure of normative beliefs supporting cyber IPV and to evaluate its psychometric properties. The initial item pool was developed from information gathered from focus groups, a thematic analysis of existing measures, and an expert review. The item pool was then administered to a sample of 259 emerging adults (Mage = 22 years;SD= 2.19, range = 18–25; 51% female) recruited via a Qualtrics panel. Based on an exploratory factor analysis, Horn’s Parallel Analysis, and goodness-of-fit indices, a single-factor structure was identified. Items related to monitoring cyber activity following a partner’s infidelity did not load well onto the model. A confirmatory factor analysis found strong support for a one-factor model. The Beliefs Supporting Cyber IPV scale was positively correlated with cyber IPV perpetration, in-person IPV perpetration, and beliefs supporting in-person IPV. Findings suggest that beliefs supporting cyber IPV is a distinct construct that can concurrently predict cyber IPV behaviors.