title: Derivation and validation of a short emergency department screening tool for perpetrators of intimate partner violence: the PErpetrator RaPid Scale (PERPS).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is no short screening tool for perpetrators of intimate partner violence (IPV), although one is needed.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To retrospectively derive and prospectively validate a brief screening tool for perpetrators of IPV: the PErpetration RaPid Scale (PERPS).
  
  
  METHODS
  In the derivation phase of the study, we developed the PERPS based on historical data. The PERPS consists of three Yes/No questions about physical abuse of a partner. In the validation phase, we prospectively screened subjects during randomized 4-h shifts in a busy emergency department (ED). Subjects were asked to complete the newly derived three-question PERPS as well as the Physical Abuse of Partner Scale (PAPS), a 25-question Likert scale that is the gold standard for detection of physical abuse of a partner. The main outcome measures were sensitivity, specificity, predictive values, accuracy, and Cronbach alpha of the PERPS for internal consistency.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The PERP Scale derivation was based on a 207-subject historical database, and resulted in a three-question PERPS. Validation was completed on a new set of 214 patients presenting to the ED during 52 randomized 4-h shifts. The prevalence of IPV perpetration using the PERPS was 47/207 (22.7%; 95% confidence interval [CI] 16-27). For the PAPS, prevalence was 56/207 (27%; 95% CI 20-32). Compared with the PAPS, the sensitivity of the PERPS was 66%, specificity 93%, negative predictive value 87%, positive predictive value 78%, with an accuracy of 85%. Cronbach alpha of the PERPS was 0.68. Age, gender, and race were not predictive of positive results on either scale.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We successfully derived and validated a three-question perpetrator of IPV scale that can be used in a busy ED or office setting.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA.
authors.forename: Amy A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Ernst
authors.forename: Steven J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Weiss
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Morgan-Edwards
authors.forename: Tuhama
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Rihani
authors.forename: Brittany
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Coffman
authors.forename: Ross
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Clark
authors.forename: Melia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lucero
authors.forename: Liz
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jansen
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brokmeyer
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kaul
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hegyi
authors.forename: Bernadette
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ramone
authors.forename: Melissa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Valdez
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013179:Spouse Abuse / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards*; D055815:Young Adult