Likelihood of Violence and Delinquency Scale – LVDS
Measures an individual's self-reported risk and perceived likelihood of engaging in violent and delinquent behaviors.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Likelihood of Violence and Delinquency Scale – LVDS was developed by Flewelling R.L., Paschall M.J., Ringwalt C.L. (1998). It is designed to measure Likelihood of violence and delinquency. The scale is intended for use with Adolescents (12 through 16 years old).
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 9 items organized into 2 factors/subscales: Violence, Delinquency and High-Risk Behavior.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Violence | 1,2,3,4,5 | 5 |
| Delinquency and High-Risk Behavior | 6,7,8,9 | 4 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 1 = Not at all likely, 2 = Not very likely, 3 = Somewhat likely, 4 = Very likely.
Scoring
Item scores are averaged to produce a mean score.
Total scores range from 1 to 4. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low Likelihood: 1 – 2
- Moderate Likelihood: 2 – 3
- High Likelihood: 3 – 4
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 5 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.