Psychometric properties of the Scale of Psychological Violence in the Couple Propiedades psicométricas de la Escala de Violencia Psicológica en la Pareja

Abstract

Psychological violence is defined as any intentional act that harms the psychological stability of a person. In the context of an affective relationship, this phenomenon usually manifests itself in behaviors of verbal abuse, isolation, control, intimidation, threat and emotional abuse. The objective of this research has been to develop a valid and reliable instrument to measure psychological violence during courtship. The method used followed the phases described below: judges for content validity and explorator y and confirmatory factor analysis for construct validity and criterion validity with evidence of concurrence and divergence. The research was developed with a sample of 382 women (61%) and 244 men (39%), with an average age of 17.85 (SD 2.48) belonging to upper and higher secondary education, who would have had a formal partner (courtship). A content validity was obtained with V of Aiken = .91, a composite reliability> .80 in its AFC, as well as GFI of .98 and a CFI of .99. The previous evidences of validity and reliability allow us to recommend the use of the instrument in the approach to psychological violence in couples of young Mexicans.