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Acceptance of Couple Violence
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About Acceptance of Couple Violence
Scale Name
Acceptance of Couple Violence
Author Details
Vangie A. Foshee, Kate Fothergill, and Joanne Stuart
foshee@email.unc.edu
Translation Availability
English
Background/Description
The Acceptance of Couple Violence (ACV) scale is a self-report questionnaire designed to measure adolescents’ attitudes toward the acceptability of violence in dating relationships. Developed in 1992 by Vangie A. Foshee, Kate Fothergill, and Joanne Stuart, the scale was created to assess beliefs that may contribute to dating violence, a significant public health concern among youth. Targeting students in grades 8-9 (ages 13-15), the ACV focuses on three distinct dimensions: acceptance of male-on-female violence, female-on-male violence, and general dating violence. Its development was motivated by the need to understand attitudinal risk factors for intimate partner violence (IPV) to inform prevention programs, particularly in school settings.
The ACV comprises 11 items rated on a 4-point Likert scale (1 = “strongly disagree” to 4 = “strongly agree”), divided into three subscales: Male-on-Female Violence (4 items, e.g., “It’s okay for a boy to hit his girlfriend if she insults him”), Female-on-Male Violence (4 items, e.g., “It’s okay for a girl to hit her boyfriend if he insults her”), and General Dating Violence (3 items, e.g., “Violence between dating partners is a private matter”). Subscale scores range from 4-16 (Male and Female subscales) and 3-12 (General subscale), with higher scores indicating greater acceptance of violence. Validated in rural North Carolina school samples, the scale is tailored for early adolescents in dating contexts.
Psychologists, public health researchers, and educators use the ACV to identify attitudes linked to dating violence, evaluate prevention programs like Safe Dates, and guide interventions such as peer education or counseling. Its robust internal consistency and focus on gender-specific violence make it a valuable tool, though its English-only availability and specific age range limit broader use.
Administration, Scoring and Interpretation
- Obtain a copy of the Acceptance of Couple Violence scale from primary sources, such as Foshee et al. (1992) in Journal of Adolescent Health or authorized research platforms, ensuring ethical use permissions.
- Explain the purpose to respondents, noting that it assesses attitudes toward dating violence to support safer relationships, emphasizing confidentiality.
- Provide instructions, asking students to rate each of the 11 items based on their agreement with statements about dating violence, using the 4-point scale, typically reflecting current attitudes.
- Approximate time for completion is about 5-7 minutes, given its concise format.
- Administer in a classroom or group setting, using paper or digital formats, ensuring a private, quiet environment to encourage honest responses.
Reliability and Validity
The ACV demonstrates strong psychometric properties. Internal consistency is good across subscales: Male-on-Female Violence (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.74), Female-on-Male Violence (α = 0.71), and General Dating Violence (α = 0.73), indicating reliable item cohesion for a brief scale. Test-retest reliability is not explicitly reported but is inferred to be adequate based on its use in longitudinal studies like the Safe Dates evaluation.
Convergent validity is supported by correlations with related constructs, such as self-reported dating violence perpetration and victimization (r ≈ 0.40-0.60), and attitudes toward gender roles, as noted in Foshee et al. (1998). Discriminant validity is evidenced by weaker correlations with unrelated constructs, such as academic performance (r < 0.30). Criterion validity is demonstrated by its ability to predict dating violence behaviors and its sensitivity to prevention program outcomes, with reduced acceptance scores post-Safe Dates intervention. Factor analyses confirm the three-subscale structure, supporting construct validity. These properties, as reported in Foshee et al. (1992), affirm the ACV’s reliability and utility in dating violence research.
Available Versions
11-Items
Reference
Foshee, V. A., Bauman, K. E., Arriaga, X. B., Helms, R. W., Koch, G. G., & Linder, G. F. (1998). An evaluation of Safe Dates, an adolescent dating violence prevention program. American journal of public health, 88(1), 45-50.
Foshee, V. A., Linder, G. F., Bauman, K. E., Langwick, S. A., Arriaga, X. B., Heath, J. L., … & Bangdiwala, S. (1996). The Safe Dates Project: Theoretical basis, evaluation design, and selected baseline findings. American journal of preventive medicine, 12(5), 39-47.
Dahlberg, L. L., Toal, S. B., & Behrens, C. B. (Eds.). (1998). Measuring violence-related attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors among youths: A compendium of assessment tools. Division of Violence Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Important Link
Scale File:
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the ACV measure?
It measures acceptance of violence in dating relationships, with subscales for male-on-female, female-on-male, and general dating violence.
Who can use the ACV?
Researchers, psychologists, and educators studying adolescent dating violence.
How long does the ACV take to complete?
It takes about 5-7 minutes.
Is the ACV specific to grades 8-9?
Yes, it targets early adolescents in these grades.
Can the ACV evaluate prevention programs?
Yes, it’s sensitive to changes in attitudes post-interventions like Safe Dates.
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