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Beliefs about Aggression and Alternatives
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About Beliefs about Aggression and Alternatives
Scale Name
Beliefs about Aggression and Alternatives
Author Details
Multisite Violence Prevention Project (2004), adapted from Albert D. Farrell, Aleta L. Meyer, and Kamila S. White (2001)
Translation Availability
English
Background/Description
The Beliefs about Aggression and Alternatives (BAA) scale is a self-report questionnaire designed to measure middle school students’ attitudes toward the use of aggression and their endorsement of nonviolent strategies in response to hypothetical conflict situations. Originally developed by Farrell, Meyer, and White in 2001 as part of the Responding in Peaceful and Positive Ways (RIPP) violence prevention program, it was adapted by the Multisite Violence Prevention Project (MVPP) in 2004 for broader use in school-based violence prevention research. Targeting students in grades 6-8, the scale addresses beliefs that influence aggressive behavior, such as the acceptability of fighting, and support for nonviolent alternatives like conflict resolution or ignoring provocation. It aligns with social-cognitive theories, emphasizing how beliefs shape behavior in high-risk school environments.
The BAA comprises 12 items rated on a 4-point Likert scale (1 = “strongly disagree” to 4 = “strongly agree”), divided into two subscales: Beliefs about Aggression (6 items, e.g., “Sometimes a person doesn’t have any choice but to fight”) and Use of Nonviolent Strategies (5 items, e.g., “There are better ways to solve problems than fighting”; one filler item is excluded). All items are reverse-coded before summing, with subscale scores calculated as the mean of item responses. Total subscale scores range from 1 to 4, with lower scores indicating stronger endorsement of aggression or nonviolent strategies, respectively, due to reverse coding. The scale’s brevity and focus on hypothetical scenarios make it suitable for classroom administration, and its validation in urban, predominantly minority samples enhances its relevance for violence prevention programs.
Psychologists, educators, and researchers use the BAA to evaluate attitudes linked to aggression, inform school-based interventions like RIPP or GREAT, and assess program outcomes. Its English-only availability limits global use, but its robust design supports its role in understanding and reducing youth violence in diverse U.S. school settings.
Administration, Scoring and Interpretation
- Obtain a copy of the Beliefs about Aggression and Alternatives scale from reputable sources, such as the CDC’s Measuring Violence-Related Attitudes, Behaviors, and Influences Among Youths (2004) or authorized research platforms, ensuring ethical use permissions.
- Explain the purpose to respondents, noting that it assesses beliefs about fighting and nonviolent solutions to support safer schools, emphasizing confidentiality.
- Provide instructions, asking students to rate each of the 12 items based on their agreement with statements about aggression and nonviolent strategies, using the 4-point scale, typically reflecting recent 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 quiet environment to promote honest responses.
Reliability and Validity
The BAA demonstrates acceptable psychometric properties for its intended use. Internal consistency is good for both subscales, with Cronbach’s alpha of 0.72 for Beliefs about Aggression and 0.72 for Use of Nonviolent Strategies, indicating moderate to strong 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 MVPP.
Convergent validity is supported by correlations with related constructs, such as physical aggression (r ≈ 0.50-0.65) and self-efficacy for nonviolence, as noted in Farrell et al. (2016) and MVPP research. Discriminant validity is evidenced by its specific focus on aggression-related beliefs, with weaker correlations to unrelated constructs like academic performance (r < 0.30). Criterion validity is demonstrated by its ability to predict changes in aggressive behavior and its sensitivity to violence prevention program outcomes, such as reduced pro-fighting attitudes post-RIPP intervention. Factor analyses confirm the two-subscale structure, supporting its construct validity. These properties, as reported in MVPP (2004) and Farrell et al. (2001), affirm the BAA’s utility in school-based research, though its moderate reliability suggests cautious interpretation.
Available Versions
12-Items
Reference
Dahlberg, L. L., Toal, S. B., Swahn, M. H., & Behrens, C. B. (2005). Measuring violence-related attitudes, behaviors, and influences among youths: A compendium of assessment tools. Centers for disease control and prevention.
Multisite Violence Prevention Project. (2004). Description of measures: Cohort‐wide student survey.
Farrell, A. D., Meyer, A. L., & White, K. S. (2001). Evaluation of Responding in Peaceful and Positive Ways (RIPP): A school-based prevention program for reducing violence among urban adolescents. Journal of clinical child psychology, 30(4), 451-463.
Important Link
Scale File:
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the BAA measure?
It measures beliefs about the acceptability of aggression and endorsement of nonviolent strategies.
Who can use the BAA?
Researchers, educators, and psychologists in violence prevention programs for middle schoolers.
How long does the BAA take to complete?
It takes about 5-7 minutes.
Is the BAA specific to middle school students?
Yes, it targets grades 6-8 in urban settings.
Can the BAA evaluate intervention outcomes?
Yes, it’s sensitive to changes in attitudes post-prevention programs.
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