Victimization Scale (VS)

Q: How many questions does the Victimization Scale (VS) have?

The Victimization Scale (VS) contains 135 items and takes approximately 34 minutes to complete.

Q: How is the Victimization Scale (VS) scored?

Scores range from 135 to 540. Interpretation levels: Low Exposure/Involvement (135-200), Moderate Exposure/Involvement (201-350), High Exposure/Involvement (351-540).

Q: Is the Victimization Scale (VS) free?

Yes, this assessment is completely free. You will receive your results immediately after completion, with an optional AI-powered personalized interpretation.

Mohammed looti

Victimization Scale (VS)

Measures youth exposure to violence (direct and vicarious victimization) and violence perpetration across school, neighborhood, and home settings.

135 Questions

~34 min

Custom

Scale Development & Technical Details

Scale Overview

The Victimization Scale (VS) was developed by Helen Nadel, Margaret Spellmann, Teresa Alvarez-Canino, Linda Lausell-Bryant, Gerald Landsberg (1996). It is designed to measure Exposure to violence and victimization. The scale is intended for use with Adolescents and youth.

Scale Structure

This instrument consists of 135 items organized into 10 factors/subscales: Direct Victimization – School, Vicarious Victimization (Witnessing) – School, Direct Victimization – Neighborhood, Vicarious Victimization (Witnessing) – Neighborhood, Vicarious Victimization (Hearing) – School, Vicarious Victimization (Hearing) – Neighborhood, Direct Victimization – Home, Vicarious Victimization (Witnessing) – Home, Violence Perpetration – School, Violence Perpetration – Outside School.

Factor / Subscale	Items	N
Direct Victimization – School	1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14	14
Vicarious Victimization (Witnessing) – School	15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25,26,27,28,29	15
Direct Victimization – Neighborhood	30,31,32,33,34,35,36,37,38,39,40,41	12
Vicarious Victimization (Witnessing) – Neighborhood	42,43,44,45,46,47,48,49,50,51,52,53,54	13
Vicarious Victimization (Hearing) – School	55,56,57,58,59,60,61,62,63,64,65,66,67,68,69,70	16
Vicarious Victimization (Hearing) – Neighborhood	71,72,73,74,75,76,77,78,79,80,81,82,83	13
Direct Victimization – Home	84,85,86,87,88,89,90,91,92,93,94,95	12
Vicarious Victimization (Witnessing) – Home	96,97,98,99,100,101,102,103,104,105,106,107	12
Violence Perpetration – School	108,109,110,111,112,113,114,115,116,117,118,119,120,121	14
Violence Perpetration – Outside School	122,123,124,125,126,127,128,129,130,131,132,133,134,135	14

Response Format

Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.

Response anchors: 1 = Never, 2 = Once, 3 = Sometimes, 4 = Often.

Scoring

Items are scored by subscale, with each subscale sum representing a distinct dimension.

Total scores range from 135 to 540. Interpretation guidelines:

Low Exposure/Involvement: 135 – 200
Moderate Exposure/Involvement: 201 – 350
High Exposure/Involvement: 351 – 540

Psychometric Properties

Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Not specified.

Administration

The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 20 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.

0 / 135

About You

Please provide the following information before starting the assessment. This data is used for research purposes only and will remain confidential.

Gender *

Age *

Education Level

Country / Nationality

Instructions

Please read each statement carefully. Indicate how often you have experienced, witnessed, heard about, or engaged in each of the following events at school, in your neighborhood, or at home.

1 Never

2 Once

3 Sometimes

4 Often

At school, how often have you been hit by a student?

Never Once Sometimes Often

At school, how often have you been hit by school staff?

Never Once Sometimes Often

At school, how often have you been kicked or pushed by a student?

Never Once Sometimes Often

At school, how often have you been kicked or pushed by school staff?

Never Once Sometimes Often

At school, how often have you been badly beaten up?

Never Once Sometimes Often

At school, how often have you been threatened with a knife or sharp weapon?

Never Once Sometimes Often

At school, how often have you been attacked with a knife or sharp weapon?

Never Once Sometimes Often

At school, how often have you been threatened with a gun?

Never Once Sometimes Often

At school, how often have you been verbally or emotionally abused by a student (being called names or having things said to you that make you feel bad or afraid)?

Never Once Sometimes Often

At school, how often have you been verbally or emotionally abused by school staff?

Never Once Sometimes Often

At school, how often have you been sexually harassed by a student?

Never Once Sometimes Often

At school, how often have you been sexually harassed by school staff?

Never Once Sometimes Often

At school, how often have you been sexually assaulted?

Never Once Sometimes Often

At school, how often have you been robbed?

Never Once Sometimes Often

At school, how often have you seen others being hit by a student?

Never Once Sometimes Often

At school, how often have you seen others being hit by school staff?

Never Once Sometimes Often

At school, how often have you seen others being kicked or pushed by a student?

Never Once Sometimes Often

At school, how often have you seen others being kicked or pushed by school staff?

Never Once Sometimes Often

At school, how often have you seen others being badly beaten up?

Never Once Sometimes Often

At school, how often have you seen others being threatened with a knife or sharp weapon?

Never Once Sometimes Often

At school, how often have you seen others being attacked with a knife or sharp weapon?

Never Once Sometimes Often

At school, how often have you seen others being threatened with a gun?

Never Once Sometimes Often

At school, how often have you seen others being verbally or emotionally abused by a student?

Never Once Sometimes Often

At school, how often have you seen others being verbally or emotionally abused by school staff?

Never Once Sometimes Often

At school, how often have you seen others being sexually harassed by a student?

Never Once Sometimes Often

At school, how often have you seen others being sexually harassed by school staff?

Never Once Sometimes Often

At school, how often have you seen others being sexually assaulted?

Never Once Sometimes Often

At school, how often have you seen others being robbed?

Never Once Sometimes Often

At school, how often have you seen others in a fight after drinking or getting high?

Never Once Sometimes Often

In your neighborhood, how often have you been hit?

Never Once Sometimes Often

In your neighborhood, how often have you been kicked?

Never Once Sometimes Often

In your neighborhood, how often have you been pushed or shoved?

Never Once Sometimes Often

In your neighborhood, how often have you been badly beaten up?

Never Once Sometimes Often

In your neighborhood, how often have you been threatened with a knife or sharp weapon?

Never Once Sometimes Often

In your neighborhood, how often have you been attacked with a knife or sharp weapon?

Never Once Sometimes Often

In your neighborhood, how often have you been threatened with a gun?

Never Once Sometimes Often

In your neighborhood, how often have you been shot at?

Never Once Sometimes Often

In your neighborhood, how often have you been verbally or emotionally abused (being called names or having things said to you that make you feel bad or afraid)?

Never Once Sometimes Often

In your neighborhood, how often have you been sexually harassed?

Never Once Sometimes Often

In your neighborhood, how often have you been sexually assaulted?

Never Once Sometimes Often

In your neighborhood, how often have you been robbed?

Never Once Sometimes Often

In your neighborhood, how often have you seen others being hit?

Never Once Sometimes Often

In your neighborhood, how often have you seen others being kicked?

Never Once Sometimes Often

In your neighborhood, how often have you seen others being pushed or shoved?

Never Once Sometimes Often

In your neighborhood, how often have you seen others being badly beaten up?

Never Once Sometimes Often

In your neighborhood, how often have you seen others being threatened with a knife or sharp weapon?

Never Once Sometimes Often

In your neighborhood, how often have you seen others being attacked with a knife or sharp weapon?

Never Once Sometimes Often

In your neighborhood, how often have you seen others being threatened with a gun?

Never Once Sometimes Often

In your neighborhood, how often have you seen others being shot at?

Never Once Sometimes Often

In your neighborhood, how often have you seen others being verbally or emotionally abused?

Never Once Sometimes Often

In your neighborhood, how often have you seen others being sexually harassed?

Never Once Sometimes Often

In your neighborhood, how often have you seen others being sexually assaulted?

Never Once Sometimes Often

In your neighborhood, how often have you seen others being robbed?

Never Once Sometimes Often

In your neighborhood, how often have you seen others in a fight after drinking or getting high?

Never Once Sometimes Often

At school, how often have you heard of other students being hit by a student?

Never Once Sometimes Often

At school, how often have you heard of other students being hit by school staff?

Never Once Sometimes Often

At school, how often have you heard of other students being kicked or pushed by a student?

Never Once Sometimes Often

At school, how often have you heard of other students being kicked or pushed by school staff?

Never Once Sometimes Often

At school, how often have you heard of other students being badly beaten up?

Never Once Sometimes Often

At school, how often have you heard of other students being threatened with a knife or sharp weapon?

Never Once Sometimes Often

At school, how often have you heard of other students being attacked with a knife or sharp weapon?

Never Once Sometimes Often

At school, how often have you heard of other students being threatened with a gun?

Never Once Sometimes Often

At school, how often have you heard of other students being verbally or emotionally abused by a student (being called names or having things said to them that made them feel bad or afraid)?

Never Once Sometimes Often

At school, how often have you heard of other students being shot at?

Never Once Sometimes Often

At school, how often have you heard of other students being verbally or emotionally abused by school staff?

Never Once Sometimes Often

At school, how often have you heard of other students being sexually harassed by a student?

Never Once Sometimes Often

At school, how often have you heard of other students being sexually harassed by school staff?

Never Once Sometimes Often

At school, how often have you heard of other students being sexually assaulted?

Never Once Sometimes Often

At school, how often have you heard of other students being robbed?

Never Once Sometimes Often

At school, how often have you heard of other students being in a fight after drinking or getting high?

Never Once Sometimes Often

In your neighborhood, how often have you heard of others being hit?

Never Once Sometimes Often

In your neighborhood, how often have you heard of others being kicked?

Never Once Sometimes Often

In your neighborhood, how often have you heard of others being pushed or shoved?

Never Once Sometimes Often

In your neighborhood, how often have you heard of others being badly beaten up?

Never Once Sometimes Often

In your neighborhood, how often have you heard of others being threatened with a knife or sharp weapon?

Never Once Sometimes Often

In your neighborhood, how often have you heard of others being attacked with a knife or sharp weapon?

Never Once Sometimes Often

In your neighborhood, how often have you heard of others being threatened with a gun?

Never Once Sometimes Often

In your neighborhood, how often have you heard of others being shot at?

Never Once Sometimes Often

In your neighborhood, how often have you heard of others being verbally or emotionally abused?

Never Once Sometimes Often

In your neighborhood, how often have you heard of others being sexually harassed?

Never Once Sometimes Often

In your neighborhood, how often have you heard of others being sexually assaulted?

Never Once Sometimes Often

In your neighborhood, how often have you heard of others being robbed?

Never Once Sometimes Often

In your neighborhood, how often have you heard of others being in a fight after drinking or getting high?

Never Once Sometimes Often

At home, in the past, how often have you been hit?

Never Once Sometimes Often

At home, in the past, how often have you been kicked?

Never Once Sometimes Often

At home, in the past, how often have you been pushed or shoved?

Never Once Sometimes Often

At home, in the past, how often have you been badly beaten up?

Never Once Sometimes Often

At home, in the past, how often have you been threatened with a knife or sharp weapon?

Never Once Sometimes Often

At home, in the past, how often have you been attacked with a knife or sharp weapon?

Never Once Sometimes Often

At home, in the past, how often have you been threatened with a gun?

Never Once Sometimes Often

At home, in the past, how often have you been shot at?

Never Once Sometimes Often

At home, in the past, how often have you been verbally or emotionally abused?

Never Once Sometimes Often

At home, in the past, how often have you been sexually harassed?

Never Once Sometimes Often

At home, in the past, how often have you been sexually assaulted?

Never Once Sometimes Often

At home, in the past, how often have you been robbed?

Never Once Sometimes Often

At home, in the past, how often have you seen other family members being hit?

Never Once Sometimes Often

At home, in the past, how often have you seen other family members being kicked?

Never Once Sometimes Often

At home, in the past, how often have you seen other family members being pushed or shoved?

Never Once Sometimes Often

At home, in the past, how often have you seen other family members being badly beaten up?

Never Once Sometimes Often

100

At home, in the past, how often have you seen other family members being threatened with a knife or sharp weapon?

Never Once Sometimes Often

101

At home, in the past, how often have you seen other family members being attacked with a knife or sharp weapon?

Never Once Sometimes Often

102

At home, in the past, how often have you seen other family members being threatened with a gun?

Never Once Sometimes Often

103

At home, in the past, how often have you seen other family members being shot at?

Never Once Sometimes Often

104

At home, in the past, how often have you seen other family members being verbally or emotionally abused?

Never Once Sometimes Often

105

At home, in the past, how often have you seen other family members being sexually harassed?

Never Once Sometimes Often

106

At home, in the past, how often have you seen other family members being sexually assaulted?

Never Once Sometimes Often

107

At home, in the past, how often have you seen other family members being robbed?

Never Once Sometimes Often

108

At school, how often have you hit or kicked someone?

Never Once Sometimes Often

109

At school, how often have you pushed or shoved someone when you were angry?

Never Once Sometimes Often

110

At school, how often have you badly beaten somebody up?

Never Once Sometimes Often

111

At school, how often have you carried a knife or sharp weapon or other blade?

Never Once Sometimes Often

112

At school, how often have you threatened someone with a knife or sharp weapon?

Never Once Sometimes Often

113

At school, how often have you attacked someone with a knife or sharp weapon?

Never Once Sometimes Often

114

At school, how often have you carried a weapon?

Never Once Sometimes Often

115

At school, how often have you threatened someone with a gun?

Never Once Sometimes Often

116

At school, how often have you verbally or emotionally abused someone (said something that made them feel bad about themselves or afraid)?

Never Once Sometimes Often

117

At school, how often have you sexually harassed someone?

Never Once Sometimes Often

118

At school, how often have you sexually assaulted someone?

Never Once Sometimes Often

119

At school, how often have you robbed someone?

Never Once Sometimes Often

120

At school, how often have you been suspended?

Never Once Sometimes Often

121

At school, how often have you gotten into a fight after drinking or getting high?

Never Once Sometimes Often

122

Outside of school, how often have you hit or kicked someone?

Never Once Sometimes Often

123

Outside of school, how often have you pushed or shoved someone when you were angry?

Never Once Sometimes Often

124

Outside of school, how often have you badly beaten somebody up?

Never Once Sometimes Often

125

Outside of school, how often have you carried a knife or sharp weapon or other blade?

Never Once Sometimes Often

126

Outside of school, how often have you threatened someone with a knife or sharp weapon?

Never Once Sometimes Often

127

Outside of school, how often have you attacked someone with a knife or sharp weapon?

Never Once Sometimes Often

128

Outside of school, how often have you carried a weapon?

Never Once Sometimes Often

129

Outside of school, how often have you threatened someone with a gun?

Never Once Sometimes Often

130

Outside of school, how often have you verbally or emotionally abused someone (said something that made them feel bad about themselves or afraid)?

Never Once Sometimes Often

131

Outside of school, how often have you sexually harassed someone?

Never Once Sometimes Often

132

Outside of school, how often have you sexually assaulted someone?

Never Once Sometimes Often

133

Outside of school, how often have you robbed someone?

Never Once Sometimes Often

134

Outside of school, how often have you been suspended?

Never Once Sometimes Often

135

Outside of school, how often have you gotten into a fight after drinking or getting high?

Never Once Sometimes Often

Answer all questions to submit

Scale Development & Technical Details

Scale Overview

Scale Structure

Response Format

Scoring

Psychometric Properties

Administration

About You

Your Results