Psychometric properties of the wife abuse inventory

• Published in: Journal of clinical psychology Vol. 46; no. 6; pp. 828 - 834
• Main Authors: Poteat, G. Michael, Grossnickle, William F., Cope, John G., Wynne, D. Carol
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Brandon Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company 01.11.1990; Wiley; Wiley Periodicals Inc
• Subjects: Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Domestic violence; Female; Humans; Individuality; Medical sciences; Nosology. Terminology. Diagnostic criteria; Personality Inventory - statistics & numerical data; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychometrics; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Social research; Spouse Abuse - diagnosis; Spouse Abuse - psychology; Techniques and methods; Tests; Women; Human; Test validation; Factor analysis; Child Abuse Potential Inventory Milner; Risk factor; Psychometrics; Battered wife syndrome; Woman; Test reliability; Wife Abuse Inventory Lewis
• ISSN: 0021-9762; 1097-4679
• DOI: 10.1002/1097-4679(199011)46:6<828::AID-JCLP2270460622>3.0.CO;2-T

It is estimated that approximately 50% of all married couples experience violence during their relationship (Lewis, 1985). The present study (N = 305) investigated the psychometric properties of the Wife Abuse Inventory (WAI), which was designed to identify women at risk for abuse. The WAI was found to be internally consistent, and evidence was obtained for the validity of the WAI as an indicator of the potential for being abused by one's spouse. A factor analysis indicated that the WAI measures two main factors, emotional and physical abuse, and a moderate correlation between the WAI and the Child Abuse Potential Inventory also was obtained. The WAI has potential for use as a screening inventory in the identification of women at risk.