title: Mediator's Assessment of Safety Issues and Concerns (MASIC): reliability and validity of a new intimate partner violence screen.
abstract: We investigated reliability and validity of the Mediator's Assessment of Safety Issues and Concerns (MASIC), a screening interview for intimate partner violence and abuse (IPV/A) in family mediation settings. Clients at three family mediation clinics in the United States and Australia (N = 391) provided reports of the other parent's IPV/A. Internal consistency of the total screen was excellent. A confirmatory factor analysis provided evidence that the MASIC assesses seven types of IPV/A: psychological abuse, coercive controlling behaviors, threats of severe violence, physical violence, severe physical violence, sexual violence, and stalking. Sex differences on differing types of violence victimization were generally consistent with previous research. Higher levels of victimization predicted self-reported consequences of abuse (e.g., fear, injuries). More abusive parties, as identified by their partners on the MASIC, had more Protective Orders and No Contact Orders and criminal convictions and crimes potentially related to IPV/A. Results provide initial evidence of the reliability and validity of the MASIC but more research is needed.
authors.affiliation: Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA.
authors.forename: Viktoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Pokman
authors.affiliation: Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA.
authors.forename: Fernanda S
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.affiliation: Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA holtzwor@indiana.edu.
authors.forename: Amy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Holtzworth-Munroe
authors.affiliation: Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA.
authors.forename: Amy G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Applegate
authors.affiliation: University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA.
authors.forename: Connie J A
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Beck
authors.affiliation: Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA.
authors.forename: Brian M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: D'Onofrio
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001315:Australia; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003416:Criminal Law; D017579:Domestic Violence / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008297:Male; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States
keywords: divorce mediation; domestic violence screening; intimate partner violence/abuse; violence measurement and psychometrics