Scale Overview
The Problem Behavior Frequency Scale – PBFS was developed by Dahlberg, L. L., Toal, S. B., Swahn, M., & Behrens, C. B. (2005). It is designed to measure Aggressive behavior frequency. The scale is intended for use with Adolescents.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 18 items organized into 3 factors/subscales: Physical Aggression, Verbal Aggression, Relational Aggression.
| Factor / Subscale |
Items |
N |
| Physical Aggression |
1,2,4,5,6 |
5 |
| Verbal Aggression |
3,7,8,9,10,12 |
6 |
| Relational Aggression |
11,13,14,15,16,17,18 |
7 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 0 = 0 times, 1 = 1-2 times, 2 = 3-5 times, 3 = 6-9 times, 4 = 10-19 times, 5 = 20 or more times.
Scoring
Items are scored by subscale, with each subscale sum representing a distinct dimension.
Total scores range from 0 to 90. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low Aggression: 0 – 18
- Moderate Aggression: 19 – 45
- High Aggression: 46 – 90
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Alpha values range from 0.79 to 0.89.
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.