Development and Initial Validation of Three Culturally Sensitive Measures of Intimate Partner Violence for Sexual and Gender Minority Populations

Christina Dyar*, Adam M. Messinger, Michael E. Newcomb, Gayle R. Byck, Parks Dunlap, Sarah W. Whitton

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

49 Scopus citations

Abstract

Measures of intimate partner violence (IPV) have largely been developed and validated in heterosexual, cisgender samples, with little attention to whether these measures are culturally appropriate for sexual and gender minority (SGM) populations. However, rates of IPV are two to three times higher among SGM than heterosexual populations, highlighting the importance of culturally appropriate measures of IPV for SGM populations. In this article, after reviewing key problems with the use of existing IPV measures with SGM samples, we describe the development of a toolkit of new and adapted measures of IPV for use with SGM assigned female at birth (SGM-AFAB) populations, including an adapted version of the Conflict Tactics Scale–Revised, an adapted measure of coercive control, and the newly developed SGM-Specific IPV Tactics Measure. Using data from a sample of 352 SGM-AFAB individuals, we then test the psychometric properties of these three measures, including their factor structures, internal reliability, and convergent/divergent validity. Results provide initial evidence of the reliability and validity of each measure. Together, these three measures comprise a culturally appropriate and psychometrically validated measurement toolkit for studying a broad range of IPV tactics among SGM-AFAB that will help build a foundation for more in-depth research into IPV in SGM populations.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)NP8824-NP8851
JournalJournal of Interpersonal Violence
Volume36
Issue number15-16
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 2021

Funding

We thank Jazz Stephens, Kitty Buehler, Arielle Zimmerman, Louisa Baidoo, Shariell Crosby, Greg Swann, and Deborah Capaldi for their assistance with study design and data collection. We also thank the FAB400 participants for their invaluable contributions to understanding the health of the sexual and gender minority individuals. The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This research was supported by a grant from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (R01 HD086170; PI: Whitton). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the funding agencies.

Keywords

  • bisexual
  • intimate partner violence
  • lesbian
  • psychometric
  • sexual orientation
  • validation

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Clinical Psychology
  • Applied Psychology

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