NCJ Number
180641
Journal
Journal of Family Violence Volume: 14 Issue: 4 Dated: December 1999 Pages: 351-375
Date Published
1999
Length
25 pages
Annotation
This study describes the development and validation of three Attitudes Towards Male Dating Violence (AMDV) Scales and three Attitudes Towards Female Dating Violence (AFDV) Scales.
Abstract
These scales measure attitudes towards use of psychological, physical and sexual dating violence, respectively, by boys and girls. Eight hundred twenty-three students from grades 7, 9, and 11 participated in the validation study. All six scales had good internal consistencies. Students were more accepting of girls' use of violence, and boys were more accepting of violence. The six scales were positively correlated with traditional attitudes toward gender roles and with each other, providing evidence for their construct validity. Higher scores on the AMDV Scales were related to boys' past use of violence in dating relationships and to their having aggressive friends, supporting their criterion-related validity. Higher scores on the AFDV Scales were associated with girls' past use of dating violence but not with their having aggressive friends, providing partial support for their criterion-related validity. Singly or in combination, the Attitudes Towards Dating Violence Scales can be used to increase understanding of the development and maintenance of violence-supportive attitudes in adolescents of all ages. Tables, references