Seriousness of Violence Classification – Pittsburgh Youth Study (SVC-PYS)
Measures the highest level of violence a youth has reached during the previous six months.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Seriousness of Violence Classification – Pittsburgh Youth Study (SVC-PYS) was developed by Loeber R., Farrington D. P., Stouthamer-Loeber M., Van Kammen W. B. (1998). It is designed to measure Seriousness of youth violence. The scale is intended for use with Adolescents and youth.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 5 items organized into 3 factors/subscales: Gang Fighting, Forcible Theft, Serious Attack and Sexual Violence.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Gang Fighting | 1 | 1 |
| Forcible Theft | 2 | 1 |
| Serious Attack and Sexual Violence | 3,4,5 | 3 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a dichotomous Yes/No format.
Scoring
Items are summed.
Total scores range from 0 to 3. Interpretation guidelines:
- No violence reported: 0 – 0
- Level 1: Gang fighting: 1 – 1
- Level 2: Forcible theft: 2 – 2
- Level 3: Serious attack or sexual violence: 3 – 3
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 2 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.