Modified Aggression Scale – MAS
Measures the frequency of aggressive, bullying, angry, and cooperative behaviors in adolescents.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Modified Aggression Scale – MAS was developed by Orpinas, P., Bosworth, K., & Espelage, D. (1995). It is designed to measure Aggression, bullying, anger, and cooperative behavior. The scale is intended for use with Middle school age youth (grades 6-8).
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 22 items organized into 4 factors/subscales: Fighting, Bullying, Anger, Caring/Cooperative Behavior.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Fighting | 1,2,3,4,5 | 5 |
| Bullying | 6,7,8,9 | 4 |
| Anger | 10,11,12,13,14 | 5 |
| Caring/Cooperative Behavior | 15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22 | 8 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 1 = Never / No opportunity, 2 = 1 or 2 times, 3 = 3 or 4 times, 4 = 5 or more times.
The scale includes 1 reverse-scored items to reduce acquiescence bias.
Scoring
Items are scored by subscale, with each subscale sum representing a distinct dimension.
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Not specified in source text.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 10 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.