[Preliminary validation of the Child Abuse Potential Inventory in Argentina].
OBJECTIVE
To know the ability of the CAP Inventory (Milner, 1986) to discriminate between child physical abusers and nonabusers in Argentina, and to know its reliability. To conduct an item analysis in order to know the capability of the Abuse Scale items for discrimination between both groups of subjects.


METHODS
The CAP Inventory was applied to two groups of subjects: 40 child physical abusers and 40 nonabusers. Both groups were matched in gender, age, educational level, family income, martial status, number of children, and gender and age of children.


RESULTS
Fifty-four items discriminated (p < .05) between both groups of subjects. The reliability coefficient of the Abuse Scale was adequate (alpha = .94). Twenty items with the best capability for discrimination were selected. More than 97% (97.4%) of subjects were correctly classified (94.4% for physical abusers and 100% for nonabusers). The Abuse Scale present similar psychometric characteristics than the American and Spanish versions.


CONCLUSIONS
This is the first study in Argentina with the objective of CAP adaptation and validation. The discriminant and predictive capability of the Abuse Scale are promising for Argentina. However, complementary studies with different samples are needed in order to obtain reliable data and a preliminary version of the Inventory.
Instituto de Investigaciones, Facultad de Psicología, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina.
M I
MI
Bringiotti
A
A
Barbich
J
J
De Paúl
D000328:Adult; D001118:Argentina; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology; D010555:Personality Inventory; D015203:Reproducibility of Results
Validacion de una version preliminar del Child Abuse Potential Inventory para su uso en Argentina.