Agonizing Uncertainty: The Development and Psychometric Evaluation of the Abuse Doubt Scale.

IF 2.3 3区心理学 Q1 CRIMINOLOGY & PENOLOGY

Journal of Interpersonal Violence Pub Date : 2025-10-20 DOI:10.1177/08862605251372577

Yael Lahav,May Huberman,Sarah Bøgelund Dokkedahl,Lee Gafter

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Childhood abuse (CA) may not only eventuate in distorted basic beliefs among survivors but also in survivors' doubt regarding key aspects of the abuse, of themselves during the abuse, and regarding the perpetrator. This phenomenon, which we term doubt regarding abuse-related appraisals (DARA), has not been empirically investigated. Filling this gap, this study evaluated the psychometric properties of a new measure: the Abuse Doubt Scale (ADS). The study was conducted using online surveys among convenience samples of female CA survivors. In Study 1, the ADS was administered to 155 participants. In Study 2, the ADS and a battery of questionnaires assessing abuse features, guilt, shame, dissociation, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms were administered to 192 participants. Three reliable ADS factors emerged from Study 1: doubt regarding the abuse, doubt regarding the perpetrator, and doubt regarding oneself. In Study 2, a confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the scale's underlying factor structure. Recurrence of CA, closeness and dependence upon the perpetrator, and the perpetrator being a parental figure were associated with higher scores. Additionally, scores were correlated with guilt, shame, dissociation, and PTSD symptoms. The current studies provide evidence for the psychometric properties of the ADS, demonstrating high internal consistency as well as good construct and concurrent criterion validity. However, further longitudinal research is needed to assess the test-retest reliability and criterion validity of the ADS.

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痛苦的不确定性：虐待怀疑量表的编制与心理测量学评价。

童年虐待不仅会导致幸存者的基本信念被扭曲，还会导致幸存者对虐待的关键方面、虐待期间的自己以及施暴者产生怀疑。这种现象，我们称之为对滥用相关评估（DARA）的怀疑，尚未进行实证调查。为了填补这一空白，本研究评估了一种新的测量方法的心理测量特性：滥用怀疑量表（ADS）。该研究是在女性CA幸存者的方便样本中使用在线调查进行的。在研究1中，155名参与者接受了ADS。在研究2中，对192名参与者进行了ADS和一系列评估虐待特征、内疚、羞耻、分离和创伤后应激障碍（PTSD）症状的问卷调查。研究1中出现了三个可靠的ADS因素：对施虐者的怀疑、对施虐者的怀疑和对自己的怀疑。在研究2中，验证性因子分析证实了量表的潜在因子结构。CA的复发、对施害者的亲近和依赖以及施害者是父母的形象与较高的得分相关。此外，得分与内疚、羞耻、分离和创伤后应激障碍症状相关。目前的研究为ADS的心理测量特性提供了证据，显示出较高的内部一致性以及良好的构念和并发效度。然而，需要进一步的纵向研究来评估ADS的重测信度和标准效度。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Journal of Interpersonal Violence Multiple-

CiteScore

6.20

自引率

12.00%

发文量

375

期刊介绍： The Journal of Interpersonal Violence is devoted to the study and treatment of victims and perpetrators of interpersonal violence. It provides a forum of discussion of the concerns and activities of professionals and researchers working in domestic violence, child sexual abuse, rape and sexual assault, physical child abuse, and violent crime. With its dual focus on victims and victimizers, the journal will publish material that addresses the causes, effects, treatment, and prevention of all types of violence. JIV only publishes reports on individual studies in which the scientific method is applied to the study of some aspect of interpersonal violence. Research may use qualitative or quantitative methods. JIV does not publish reviews of research, individual case studies, or the conceptual analysis of some aspect of interpersonal violence. Outcome data for program or intervention evaluations must include a comparison or control group.