Skip to Main Content
 

Global Search Box

 
 
 
 

ETD Abstract Container

Abstract Header

Development of an Interpersonal Aggression Scale for People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

Matlock, Scott T.

Abstract Details

2008, Doctor of Philosophy, Ohio State University, Psychology.
Reactive aggression is displayed in response to a perceived threat or provocation or possibly in response to frustration. Proactive aggression could be motivated to gain a resource, or could be directed toward a person with the purpose of bullying, domination, or intimidation. The purpose of this project was to develop an informant-based scale of the severity and/or frequency of interpersonal aggression among people with intellectual and developmental disability. I also attempted to incorporate a "reactive/proactive" domain as well, using a provocation scale which asked raters whether or not a behavior was more likely to have been provoked or not. Subjects were 512 individuals diagnosed with intellectual disability (an IQ of 70 or lower), and aged 19 to 84 years, inclusive. Raters were 61 staff or family members who were familiar with a subject for at least six months. Factor analysis yielded five subscales: (I) Verbal Aggression, (II) Physical Aggression, (III) Hostile Affect, (IV) Covert Aggression, and (V) Bullying. These subscales had good to excellent internal consistency and fair to excellent interrater reliability statistics. Concurrent validity was supported by comparisons with the results of the BPI Aggressive/Destructive Behavior subscale. Comparisons of mean scores of groups of subjects divided by demographic, diagnostic, and medication variables yielded results which were supportive of the Problem Scale external validity. The Provocation Scale and its subscales had interrater reliability statistics in the fair to good range of clinical significance. Comparisons of mean scores of groups of subjects divided by demographic, diagnostic, and medication variables yielded results which were supportive of the Provocation Scale external validity. A few of the t-test results indicate that the Provocation Scale can provide pertinent information not obtainable with the Problem scale alone. These results are encouraging, but it is also clear that important improvements to the scale are needed.
Michael Aman (Advisor)

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Matlock, S. T. (2008). Development of an Interpersonal Aggression Scale for People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1211912914

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Matlock, Scott. Development of an Interpersonal Aggression Scale for People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. 2008. Ohio State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1211912914.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Matlock, Scott. "Development of an Interpersonal Aggression Scale for People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University, 2008. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1211912914

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)