The Attitude Toward Interpersonal Peer Violence scale (ATIPV) is a self–report measure designed to assess the attitudes of adolescents toward interpersonal peer violence. The scale consists of 14 items, each of which is rated on a 4–point Likert scale ranging from “strongly disagree” to “strongly agree.” The ATIPV assesses attitudes toward physical violence, verbal aggression, and relational aggression. It also assesses attitudes toward the use of violence as a means of solving interpersonal conflicts, as well as attitudes toward the acceptability of certain types of violent behavior (e.g., hitting, pushing, and threatening). The ATIPV is intended to be used as a screening tool to identify adolescents who may be at risk for engaging in or perpetrating interpersonal peer violence. The scale can also be used to assess the effectiveness of anti–violence interventions and to evaluate the impact of peer violence on adolescents’ attitudes.
Attitude Toward Interpersonal Peer Violence scale
DESCRIPTION
These items assess a passive or violent attitude orientation‚ as well as knowledge and skill in resolving conflicts nonviolently. Students are asked to indicate their opinions or feelings about fighting‚ defined as physical fights with pushing and hitting‚ not just arguments.
KEYWORDS
This tool touches on the following keywords:
WHERE TO FIND OR DOWNLOAD
This instrument can be found on pages 29-30 of Measuring Violence-Related Attitudes‚ Behaviors‚ and Influences Among Youths: A Compendium of Assessment Tools‚ available online at: http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/YV_Compendium.pdf .
FEES AND REQUIREMENTS
None noted.
AGE RANGE
Middle school students (has been used with grades 6-8 in previous research).
HOW TO ADMINISTER AND SCORE
Pencil and paper self-report. Point values are assigned as follows:
· Disagree a lot = 1
· Disagree a little = 2
· Agree a little = 3
· Agree a lot = 4
Items 1‚ 3‚ 5‚ 8‚ 9 and 12 are reverse coded. The scale is scored by summing the point values of the responses and dividing by the total number of responses. Blank items are not counted in the number of responses. Higher mean scores‚ which can range from 1 to 4‚ indicate higher levels of knowledge and skills in resolving conflict non-violently. Lower mean scores indicate less knowledge or skill in non-violent conflict resolution and a more violent orientation.
SOURCE
Houston Community Demonstration Project. (1993). Peer Leader Survey. Houston‚ TX: City of Houston Health and Human Services Department. (Unpublished)
Slaby RG. An evaluation of a violence prevention program. Health program for urban youth. Newton‚ MA: Education Development Center‚ Inc.‚ 1989. (Unpublished)
1. If I walked away from a fight‚ I’d be a coward (“chicken”).
2. The best way to stop a fight before it starts is to stop the argument (problem) that caused it.
3. Anyone who won’t fight is going to be “picked on” even more.
4. I don’t need to fight because there are other ways to deal with being mad.
5. It’s OK to hit someone who hits you first.
6. If my friends want to go someplace where a fight might happen‚ I find it easy to say I don’t want to go with them.
7. When actions of others make me angry‚ I can usually deal with it without getting into a physical fight.
8. If a kid teases me or “disses” me‚ I usually cannot get them to stop unless I hit them.
9. If a kid at school hits me‚ it is harder to report them to a teacher or other adult than it is to just hit them back.
10. If I really want to‚ I can usually talk someone out of trying to fight with me.
11. My family would be mad at me if I got in a fight with another student‚ no matter what the reason.
12. If a student hits me first‚ my family would want me to hit them back.
13. I usually can tell when things are bothering me or getting on my nerves.
14. If things are bothering me or getting on my nerves‚ I do things to relax.