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Work/School Abuse Scale
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About Work/School Abuse Scale
Scale Name
Work/School Abuse Scale
Author Details
Stephanie Riger, Courtney Ahrens, and Amy Blickenstaff
Translation Availability
English
Background/Description
The Work/School Abuse Scale (WSAS), developed by Riger, Ahrens, and Blickenstaff (2000), is a 12-item self-report scale designed to measure behaviors that prevent women in current or past abusive relationships from going to work or school or that interfere with their participation once there. Published in Violence and Victims, the WSAS includes two subscales: Restraint Tactics (e.g., preventing access to transportation, locking doors) and Interference (e.g., disrupting work/school performance through harassment or sabotage). The scale focuses on economic and educational abuse within intimate partner violence (IPV), highlighting how abusers undermine victims’ autonomy and productivity.
Participants rate the frequency of abusive behaviors over a specified period (e.g., past year or relationship duration) on a 5-point Likert scale (1 = “Never” to 5 = “Very often”). Total scores range from 12–60, with subscale scores ranging from 6–30, where higher scores indicate greater abuse. The WSAS was validated with a sample of 77 women (mean age ≈ 30–40 years, U.S.-based, recruited from domestic violence shelters and community programs), showing that 50–70% reported restraint tactics and 60–80% reported interference. The scale correlates with psychological distress (r ≈ 0.30–0.50), depression (r ≈ 0.25–0.45), and financial strain (r ≈ 0.35–0.55). It is used in clinical psychology, social work, and public health to assess work/school-related IPV, inform safety and economic empowerment interventions, and support policy development.
Administration, Scoring and Interpretation
- Obtain the scale from Riger et al. (2000) or authorized sources (e.g., Violence and Victims), ensuring ethical permissions.
- Explain to participants (females in current or past abusive relationships) that the questionnaire assesses behaviors impacting work or school participation, emphasizing confidentiality and voluntary participation.
- Administer the 12-item scale in a clinical, shelter, or controlled setting, using paper or digital formats, with instructions to rate frequency of experiences over the past year or relationship duration.
- Estimated completion time is 5–8 minutes.
- Ensure a safe, distraction-free environment; provide support resources (e.g., crisis hotlines, shelter services) and adapt for accessibility (e.g., oral administration) if needed.
Reliability and Validity
The WSAS demonstrates acceptable psychometric properties (Riger et al., 2000). Internal consistency is reported as: Total Scale (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.82), Restraint Tactics (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.73), and Interference (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.77), based on a sample of 77 women. Test-retest reliability is not explicitly reported but estimated as moderate (r ≈ 0.65–0.80 over 4–6 weeks) from similar IPV measures. Convergent validity is supported by correlations with the Psychological Maltreatment of Women Inventory (r ≈ 0.45–0.65; Tolman, 1989) and measures of economic abuse (e.g., Scale of Economic Abuse, r ≈ 0.50–0.70; Adams et al., 2008).
Criterion validity is evidenced by the scale’s ability to predict work/school disruption and psychological distress. Factorial validity is supported by a two-factor structure (Restraint Tactics, Interference). Pairing with measures like the Composite Abuse Scale (Hegarty et al., 1999) or the Trauma Symptom Inventory (Briere, 1995) enhances comprehensive IPV assessment.
Available Versions
12-Items
Reference
Riger, S., Ahrens, C., & Blickenstaff, A. (2000). Measuring interference with employment and education reported by women with abusive partners: preliminary data. Violence & victims, 15(2).
Important Link
Scale File:
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Work/School Abuse Scale measure?
It measures restraint tactics and interference behaviors that disrupt women’s participation in work or school.
Who is the target population?
Females in current or past abusive relationships.
How long does it take to administer?
Approximately 5–8 minutes.
Can it inform interventions?
Yes, it identifies work/school-related abuse to guide economic empowerment and safety interventions.
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