Validation of a Measure of Psychological Aggression in Same-Sex Couples: Descriptive Data on Perpetration and Victimization and Their Association with Physical Violence

Figures & data

TABLE 1 Means and Standard Deviations for Intimate Violence, Attachment, and Dyadic Adjustment as a Function of Gender in Individuals in Same-Sex Relationships

	Men (N = 75)		Women (N = 143)
Variables	M	SD	M	SD
Psychological aggression
Perpetration	12.60	18.60	10.19	14.80
Victimization	12.55	17.15	8.64	14.71
Physical assault
Perpetration	1.20	7.29	0.99	6.68
Victimization	1.34	7.20	0.91	5.82
Attachment
Anxiety	3.23	1.10	3.09	1.17
Avoidance	2.33	.79	2.15	.93
Dyadic adjustment	89.24	23.21	109.37	24.09

TABLE 2 Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analyses for Items Measuring Perpetrated Psychological Aggression in Individuals in Same-Sex Relationships

	Men	Women
	(N = 75)	(N = 143)
CTS2 items	EFA	CFA
Minor acts
5. I insulted or swore at my partner.	.63	.74
35. I shouted or yelled at my partner.	.63	.85
49. I stomped out of the room or house or yard during a disagreement.	.38	.70
67. I did something to spite my partner.	.49	.38
Severe acts
25. I called my partner fat or ugly.	.34	.36
29. I destroyed something belonging to my partner.	.65	.18
65. I accused my partner of being a lousy lover.	.65	.49
69. I threatened to hit or throw something at my partner.	.65	.35
Note: EFA = Exploratory Factor Analysis; CFA = Confirmatory Factor Analysis

TABLE 3 Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analyses for Items Measuring Received Psychological Aggression in Individuals in Same-Sex Relationships

	Men	Women
	(N = 75)	(N = 143)
CTS2 items	EFA	CFA
Minor acts
6. My partner insulted or swore at me.	.72	.89
36. My partner shouted or yelled at me.	.76	.87
50. My partner stomped out of the room or house or yard during a disagreement.	.75	.53
68. My partner did something to spite me.	.46	.51
Severe acts
26. My partner called me fat or ugly.	.17	.26
30. My partner destroyed something belonging to me.	.62	–
66. My partner accused me of being a lousy lover.	.60	.35
70. My partner threatened to hit me or throw something at me.	.66	.34
Note: EFA = Exploratory Factor Analysis; CFA = Confirmatory Factor Analysis. When item 26 was removed from the male samples’ EFA, results were improved but factor loadings remained stable for all the other items.

TABLE 4 Concurrent Validity Correlations for the CTS2 Psychological Aggression Scales with Individuals in Same-Sex Couple Relationships

	Psychological		Psychological
	Aggression		Aggression
	Perpetration		Victimization
	Men	Women	Men	Women
Concurrent validity
Attachment anxiety	.19*	.36**	.03	.35**
Attachment avoidance	.04	.13	.20*	.10
Dyadic adjustment	−.16	−.21**	−.22*	−.12
*p < .10 **p < .05.

TABLE 5 Correlations between Psychological Aggression and Physical Assault in Individuals in Same-Sex Relationships

	Perpetrated		Received
	Psychological		Psychological
	Aggression		Aggression
Physical violence	Men	Women	Men	Women
Perpetrated physical violence	.47**	.51**	.35**	.36**
Received physical violence	.41**	.40**	.35**	.40**
**p < .01.