Development and validation of the Forms and Functions of Aggressive Behavior Scale

Abstract

Preventing aggression is a global social issue that warrants additional research with up-to-date measures. Aggressive behaviors manifest in several ways, and the proper assessment should capture its multidimensional nature. We developed the Forms and Functions of Aggressive Behavior Scale (FFABS) to capture the field's current multidimensional understanding of aggression, including its forms (physical, verbal, and relational) and functions (proactive and reactive). Across three studies (N = 1388), we validated the factor structure of the FFABS, obtained partial scalar measurement invariance for males and females, and demonstrated consistent patterns with theoretically related stable constructs and with behavioral measures of inhibitory control and aggressive behaviors, establishing convergent and discriminant validity. We discuss the findings, limitations, practical implications, and future research directions.