Modified Aggression Scale

The Modified Aggression Scale (MAS) is a tool used to measure aggressive behavior in individuals. It was developed by researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles, in the late 1970s. The MAS is a selfreport questionnaire that assesses the frequency, intensity, and duration of aggressive acts. It has been used to study aggression in a variety of populations, including adolescents, adults, and people with mental health disorders. The MAS consists of two parts: a rating scale and a list of aggressive behaviors. The rating scale is used to assess the frequency, intensity, and duration of aggressive acts. The list of aggressive behaviors includes physical aggression (hitting, pushing, etc.), verbal aggression (namecalling, threats, etc.), and indirect aggression (spreading rumors, etc.). The MAS has been found to be a reliable and valid measure of aggressive behavior. It has been used in a variety of research studies and has been found to be a useful tool for assessing aggressive behavior in different populations. The MAS has also been used in clinical settings to assess aggression in individuals with mental health disorders. It has been found to be a useful tool for assessing aggressive behavior in individuals with psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and borderline personality disorder. The MAS is a useful tool for assessing aggression in individuals. It is a reliable and valid measure of aggressive behavior and has been found to be useful in a variety of research studies and clinical settings. It is a useful tool for assessing aggressive behavior in individuals with mental health disorders.


Fighting

  1. I hit back when someone hit me first.
  2. I encouraged other students to fight.
  3. I pushed‚ shoved‚ slapped‚ or kicked other students.
  4. I got into a physical fight because I was angry.
  5. I walked away from a fight.

Bullying

  1. I teased other students.
  2. I said things about other students to make other students laugh (made fun of them).
  3. I called other students names.
  4. I threatened to hit or hurt another student.

Anger

  1. I frequently get angry.
  2. I was angry most of the day.
  3. I got into a physical fight because I was angry.
  4. I was mean to someone when I was angry.
  5. I took my anger out on an innocent person.

Caring/Cooperative Behavior

  1. I helped someone stay out of a fight.
  2. I told other students how I felt when they did something I liked.
  3. I cooperated with others.
  4. I told other students how I felt when they upset me.
  5. I protected someone from a “bully.”
  6. I gave someone a compliment.
  7. I helped other students solve a problem.
  8. I avoided getting in trouble at home‚ school‚ or in the community.

(Items 5‚ 10‚ 13‚ 14‚ 15‚ 19‚ 20 and 22 were added by Bosworth & Espelage‚ 1995. Item 6 was modified.)

 

This scale is composed of four subscales: fighting‚ bullying‚ anger‚ cooperative/caring behavior. It is a modified version of the Aggression Scale . Respondents are presented with a series of behaviors‚ and are asked to mark with a circle the number of times they did that behavior during the last 30 days.

 

This tool touches on the following keywords:

 

This instrument can be found on pages 169-170 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

http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED486261.pdf

Middle school age youth (has been used with grades 6–8 in previous research).

 

Pencil and paper self-report. Point values are assigned as follows:

  • No opportunity = 1
  • Never = 1
  • 1 or 2 times = 2
  • 3 or 4 times = 3
  • 5 or more times = 4

The Fighting subscale is calculated by reverse coding Item 5 and summing across all five items. A total of 20 points is possible and a high score indicates more aggression or fighting. The other three subscales are calculated similarly‚ by summing across all responses. The Bullying subscale has a total of 16 points; the Anger subscale has a total of 20 points; and the Caring/Cooperative Behavior subscale has a total of 32 points. High scores indicate more bullying behavior‚ more anger‚ and more caring/cooperative behavior.

 

Orpinas‚ P. (1993). Skills training and social influences for violence prevention in middle schools. a curriculum evaluation. Doctoral Dissertation. Houston‚ TX: University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston‚ School of Public Health.

Bosworth K‚ Espelage D. Teen Conflict Survey. Bloomington‚ IN: Center for Adolescent Studies‚ Indiana University‚ 1995.

 

 

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