Development and validation of the acceptance of dating violence questionnaire

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a questionnaire to measure the acceptance of dating violence among young Chileans, that evaluates both victimization and perpetration perspectives. Based on the Intimate Partner Violence Attitudes Scale, items were developed to fulfill these criteria and were refined through experts’ revisions and participant focus groups. The 30-item questionnaire created (with 15 similar items to measure both perpetration and victimization) was applied to 1120 Chilean high school and university students (14–27 years old, 59.9% females). Results of factorial analysis showed the questionnaire had an adequate fit with the correlated three-factor model (control, emotional violence, and physical violence) for each version (victimization and perpetration). Reliability analyses indicated an adequate internal consistency, and correlations with dating violence provide evidence on its concurrent validity. Results also showed that boys/men accepted more dating violence than girls/women, and adolescents than emerging adults.