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 violent behavior. The scale is intended for use with Youth and adolescents.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 5 items.
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a dichotomous Yes/No format.
Scoring
Items are summed to produce a total score.
Total scores range from 0 to 5. Interpretation guidelines:
- No violence reported: 0 – 0
- Level 1: Gang fighting: 1 – 1
- Level 2: Forcible theft / weapon use: 2 – 2
- Level 3: Severe attack or forced sex: 3 – 5
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.