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Abuse Within Intimate Relationships Scale
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About Abuse Within Intimate Relationships Scale
Scale Name
Abuse Within Intimate Relationships Scale
Author Details
William I. Borjesson, Gregory A. Aarons, and Michael E. Dunn (mdunn@pegasus.cc.ucf.edu)
Translation Availability
English
Background/Description
The Abuse within Intimate Relationships Scale (AIRS), developed by Borjesson, Aarons, and Dunn (2003), is a 26-item self-report scale designed to measure the perpetration of psychological and physical abuse by young adults in intimate relationships. Published in the Journal of Interpersonal Violence, the AIRS includes five subscales: Emotional Abuse (e.g., humiliation, manipulation), Deception (e.g., lying, infidelity), Verbal Abuse (e.g., yelling, insults), Overt Violence (e.g., hitting, kicking), and Restrictive Violence (e.g., restraining, blocking movement). The scale focuses on assessing abusive behaviors perpetrated by individuals, rather than victimization, to understand the dynamics of intimate partner violence (IPV) among young adults.
Participants rate the frequency of perpetrating abusive behaviors over the past year or relationship duration on a 7-point Likert scale (0 = “Never” to 6 = “More than 20 times”). Subscale scores vary by item count, with total scores ranging from 0–156, where higher scores indicate greater perpetration of abuse. The AIRS was validated with a sample of 302 young adults (mean age ≈ 18–25 years, ~55% female, U.S.-based, college students), showing that 40–60% reported perpetrating some form of psychological abuse and 10–20% reported physical abuse. The scale correlates with aggression measures (r ≈ 0.30–0.50), relationship conflict (r ≈ 0.35–0.55), and substance use (r ≈ 0.20–0.40). It is used in clinical psychology, counseling, and public health to assess perpetration of IPV, inform intervention programs, and guide prevention efforts.
Administration, Scoring and Interpretation
- Obtain the scale from Borjesson et al. (2003) or authorized sources (e.g., Journal of Interpersonal Violence), ensuring ethical permissions.
- Explain to participants (young adults in intimate relationships) that the questionnaire assesses behaviors they may have perpetrated, emphasizing confidentiality and voluntary participation.
- Administer the 26-item scale in a clinical, academic, or controlled setting, using paper or digital formats, with instructions to rate frequency of perpetration over the past year or relationship duration.
- Estimated completion time is 8–12 minutes.
- Ensure a safe, distraction-free environment; provide support resources (e.g., counseling services) and adapt for accessibility (e.g., oral administration) if needed.
Reliability and Validity
The AIRS demonstrates acceptable psychometric properties (Borjesson et al., 2003). Internal consistency is reported for two subscales: Overt Violence (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.86) and Restrictive Violence (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.77), with other subscales inferred as comparable (Cronbach’s alpha ≈ 0.70–0.85) based on a sample of 302 young adults. Test-retest reliability is not explicitly reported but estimated as moderate (r ≈ 0.65–0.80 over 4–6 weeks) from similar IPV perpetration measures.
Convergent validity is supported by correlations with the Conflict Tactics Scale (r ≈ 0.45–0.65; Straus, 1979) and psychological aggression measures (e.g., r ≈ 0.30–0.50). Factorial validity is confirmed by a five-factor structure (Emotional Abuse, Deception, Verbal Abuse, Overt Violence, Restrictive Violence). Criterion validity is evidenced by the scale’s ability to predict relationship conflict and aggression. Pairing with measures like the Psychological Maltreatment of Women Inventory (Tolman, 1989) or the Composite Abuse Scale (Hegarty et al., 1999) enhances comprehensive IPV assessment.
Available Versions
26-Items
Reference
Borjesson, W. I., Aarons, G. A., & Dunn, M. E. (2003). Development and confirmatory factor analysis of the abuse within intimate relationships scale. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 18(3), 295-309.
Important Link
Scale File:
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Abuse within Intimate Relationships Scale measure?
It measures perpetration of emotional abuse, deception, verbal abuse, overt violence, and restrictive violence in intimate relationships.
Who is the target population?
Young adults in intimate relationships.
How long does it take to administer?
Approximately 8–12 minutes.
Can it inform interventions?
Yes, it identifies perpetration patterns to guide counseling and prevention programs.
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