title: The composite abuse scale: further development and assessment of reliability and validity of a multidimensional partner abuse measure in clinical settings.
abstract: Absence of a well-validated comprehensive partner abuse questionnaire has been a major methodological issue in domestic violence research. A new multidimensional measure of partner abuse, the Composite Abuse Scale (CAS), has four dimensions: Severe Combined Abuse, Emotional Abuse, Physical Abuse, and Harassment. A general practice patient sample (N = 1,836) has been used in the development and testing of CAS. Factor analyses in this current study confirmed the four dimensions from a preliminary nurses sample study and resulted in a final scale of 30 items consisting of acts of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse. These four factors exhibited good internal reliability (Cronbach's alpha > 0.85) and the corrected item-total correlations were high (> 0.5). Evidence of criterion and construct validity is presented.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Practice, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia. k.hegarty@unimelb.edu.au
authors.forename: Kelsey
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hegarty
authors.lastname: Fracgp
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bush
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sheehan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine / Q000592:standards; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005194:Family Practice / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008875:Middle Aged; D036301:Qualitative Research; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013179:Spouse Abuse / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000517:prevention & control; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards*