Development and validation of the scale of psychological abuse in intimate partner violence (EAPA-P) / Desarrollo y validación de la Escala de Abuso Psicológico Aplicado en la Pareja (EAPA-P)

BACKGROUND: In the context of intimate partner violence, psychological abuse (PA) has progressively gained scientific relevance. Even so, a greater effort is needed to define and evaluate psychological intimate partner abuse. A new exhaustive and operative taxonomy of PA strategies leads to the contribution of a new evaluation instrument. METHOD: Participants were 101 women between 24 and 82 years old, who were abused by their partners and attended to in different municipal Catalan services, specialized in the topic. RESULTS: The analyses have shown the suitability of a 19-item instrument divided into two factors: (1) direct PA strategies and (2) indirect PA strategies. The former includes strategies that affect the emotional, cognitive and behavioral dimension of the victim. The latter includes items that measure the amount of control and domination over the victim's context. This scale has adequate psychometric properties in terms of score reliability and the validity of the relationship with other women's health variables. CONCLUSIONS: The EAPA-P, created based on a new definition and taxonomy of the forms of PA, is presented as a valid instrument to detect and measure intimate partner PA

ANTECEDENTES: en el contexto de la violencia en la pareja, la de tipo psicológico ha ido ganando relevancia científica. Aun así, es preciso un mayor esfuerzo para delimitar y evaluar el abuso psicológico (AP) en la pareja. Una nueva taxonomía de estrategias de AP da pie a la aportación de un nuevo instrumento de evaluación. MÉTODO: han participado 101 mujeres maltratadas por su pareja, de entre 24 y 82 años, y atendidas en diferentes servicios municipales especializados en el tema. RESULTADOS: los análisis han mostrado la idoneidad de un instrumento de 19 ítems distribuidos en dos factores: (1) estrategias directas de AP y (2) estrategias indirectas de AP. El primero agrupa las estrategias que inciden en la dimensión emocional, cognitiva y conductual de la víctima. El segundo recoge aquellas que persiguen el control y la dominación sobre el contexto de la misma. Dicha escala posee propiedades psicométricas adecuadas en lo que se refiere a la fiabilidad de las puntuaciones y la validez de relación con otras variables relacionadas con la salud. CONCLUSIONES: la EAPA-P se presenta como herramienta válida para detectar y medir el AP en la pareja

Development and validation of the scale of psychological abuse in intimate partner violence (EAPA-P).

BACKGROUND: In the context of intimate partner violence, psychological abuse (PA) has progressively gained scientific relevance. Even so, a greater effort is needed to define and evaluate psychological intimate partner abuse. A new exhaustive and operative taxonomy of PA strategies leads to the contribution of a new evaluation instrument. METHOD: Participants were 101 women between 24 and 82 years old, who were abused by their partners and attended to in different municipal Catalan services, specialized in the topic. RESULTS: The analyses have shown the suitability of a 19-item instrument divided into two factors: (1) direct PA strategies and (2) indirect PA strategies. The former includes strategies that affect the emotional, cognitive and behavioral dimension of the victim. The latter includes items that measure the amount of control and domination over the victim’s context. This scale has adequate psychometric properties in terms of score reliability and the validity of the relationship with other women’s health variables. CONCLUSIONS: The EAPA-P, created based on a new definition and taxonomy of the forms of PA, is presented as a valid instrument to detect and measure intimate partner PA.

Group psychological abuse: taxonomy and severity of its components / Abuso psicológico en grupos: taxonomía y severidad de sus componentes

The purpose of this study was to delimit group psychological abuse through a psychosocial approach. An operational definition of the phenomenon and a taxonomy of group psychological abuse strategies were proposed based on a review of the scientific literature. A panel of 31 experts in the area evaluated the content of the taxonomy and judged the severity of the strategies through a Delphi study. Group psychological abuse was defined by the application of abusive strategies, their continued duration, and their ultimate aim, i.e., subjugation of the individual. The taxonomy showed adequate content validity. Experts’ judgments allowed for hierarchically organizing the strategies based on their severity, being the most severe those directed to the emotional area. Operationalizing, classifying, and organizing the strategies hierarchically contributes to a better delimitation of the phenomenon, which is useful for both the academic and applied fields (AU)

Se diseñó un estudio con el propósito de delimitar el abuso psicológico en grupos desde una aproximación psicosocial. A partir de una revisión de la literatura científica, se propuso una definición del fenómeno y una taxonomía de las estrategias de abuso psicológico en grupos. Un panel de 31 expertos evaluó el contenido de la taxonomía y juzgó la severidad de las estrategias a través de un estudio Delphi. El abuso psicológico en grupos es definido por la aplicación de estrategias abusivas, su duración continuada y su objetivo último, el sometimiento del individuo. La taxonomía mostró una adecuada validez de contenido. El juicio de expertos permitió jerarquizar las estrategias en función de su severidad, siendo las más severas aquellas que inciden en el ámbito emocional. Operativizar, clasificar y jerarquizar las estrategias contribuye a una mejor delimitación del fenómeno, útil tanto en el campo académico como en el aplicado (AU)

Taxonomy and hierarchy of psychological abuse strategies in intimate partner relationships / Taxonomía y jerarquización de las estrategias de abuso psicológico en la violencia de pareja

Este estudio se centra en analizar los componentes del abuso psicológico en la violencia de pareja desde un enfoque psicosocial. Tras realizar una revisión de los estudios sobre el tema, se plantea como primer objetivo el proponer una nueva taxonomía de estrategias de abuso psicológico, acompañadas de sus respectivas definiciones operativas. A partir de esta nueva clasificación, se traza un segundo objetivo que se centra en someter esta clasificación al juicio de un grupo de expertos a través de un estudio Delphi, en el que han participado 32 expertos de los ámbitos académico-universitario y profesional. Estos expertos debían juzgar la adecuación del sistema de categorías, además de evaluar cuantitativamente la severidad que aporta cada una de las estrategias al fenómeno global del abuso psicológico en la pareja. Los resultados muestran que los expertos ratifican la nueva clasificación de estrategias y sus definiciones operativas, avalando así su validez de contenido y constructo. Además, jerarquizaron las estrategias de abuso, atribuyendo mayor severidad a las de tipo emocional, seguidas de las relacionadas con el contexto cercano, de las de tipo cognitivo y, por último, las de tipo conductual. Finalmente se discuten los resultados, sus limitaciones y las implicaciones que pueden derivarse de ellos

Taking a psychosocial perspective this study analyses the components of psychological abuse in intimate adult partner violence against women. Following a review of studies on the subject the main objective that emerged was the need for a new taxonomy of psychological abuse strategies, one which should include their corresponding operational definitions. The proposed new classification was then evaluated by means of a Delphi study involving 32 experts from the academic and professional worlds. These experts were asked to assess the suitability of the system categories and to rate the severity of the impact made by each of the strategies on the global phenomenon of psychological abuse in couples. The results show that the experts ratified the new classification of strategies and the corresponding operational definitions, thereby endorsing their content and construct validity. When rating the strategies according to the severity of their impact, those of an emotional nature were considered the most severe, followed by those related to the immediate context, those of a cognitive nature and, finally, behavioural strategies. We discuss the results and their implications

Categorization and hierarchy of workplace bullying strategies: a Delphi survey.

This paper reports a study of the characteristics of psychological abuse strategies deployed in the workplace (mobbing or workplace bullying). Based on a literature review, the aim of the present study is two fold: firstly to propose a new taxonomy of mobbing strategies and to provide an operational definition for each of them, and secondly, to assess this taxonomy with the aid of several experts, by using a Delphi survey, and to evaluate the severity of each of the mobbing strategies. The experts were asked to evaluate the adequacy and the severity of the definitions for each mobbing strategy. Thirty experts working in various professions (psychology, medicine, law, sociology, etc.) participated in a two-round Delphi survey. The experts estimated that the new taxonomy and the operational definitions were appropriate, establishing content and construct validity. They ranked the workplace bullying strategies in terms of descending importance: strategies of direct nature, followed by indirect strategies. Theoretical implications of the study, its limitations and future research are discussed.

Categorization and hierarchy of workplace bullying strategies: a delphi survey

This paper reports a study of the characteristics of psychological abuse strategies deployed in the workplace (mobbing or workplace bullying). Based on a literature review, the aim of the present study is two fold: firstly to propose a new taxonomy of mobbing strategies and to provide an operational definition for each of them, and secondly, to assess this taxonomy with the aid of several experts, by using a Delphi survey, and to evaluate the severity of each of the mobbing strategies. The experts were asked to evaluate the adequacy and the severity of the definitions for each mobbing strategy. Thirty experts working in various professions (psychology, medicine, law, sociology, etc.) participated in a two-round Delphi survey. The experts estimated that the new taxonomy and the operational definitions were appropriate, establishing content and construct validity. They ranked the workplace bullying strategies in terms of descending importance: strategies of direct nature, followed by indirect strategies. Theoretical implications of the study, its limitations and future research are discussed (AU)

Este estudio psicosocial analiza las estrategias de abuso psicológico que se aplican en el lugar de trabajo (mobbing o bullying laboral). A partir de una revisión de la literatura científica, el primer objetivo pretende proponer una nueva clasificación de las estrategias del mobbing y dotar de una definición operativa a cada una de dichas estrategias. El segundo objetivo trata de evaluar esta clasificación y la severidad de las estrategias de mobbing a través del juicio de un panel de expertos utilizando para ello un estudio Delphi. Los expertos tuvieron que juzgar la adecuación de las estrategias y sus definiciones, y evaluar cuantitativamente la severidad de cada estrategia en el conjunto del mobbing. Treinta expertos de diferentes profesiones (psicólogos, médicos, abogados, sociólogos, etc.) participaron en el estudio Delphi de dos pasaciones. Los expertos juzgaron la nueva categorización y sus definiciones operativas como apropiadas estableciendo de este modo, validez de contenido y de constructo. Además, jerarquizaron las estrategias de mobbing resultando en su conjunto con mayor severidad las de naturaleza más directa, por encima de aquéllas más indirectas. Finalmente, se discuten los resultados y las limitaciones de esta investigación, así como las implicaciones teóricas y prácticas que pueden derivarse de ella (AU)

Strategies of psychological terrorism perpetrated by ETA's network: delimitation and classification.

This paper defines and analyzes the harassment perpetrated by ETA's terrorist network in the Basque Country, providing a taxonomy of its strategies of psychological violence. The usefulness of this taxonomy has been tested and contrasted by means of a content analysis of 19 testimonies of persons who were the victims of violence by the terrorist network. The taxonomy of strategies of psychological violence is made up of four dimensions that emphasize the actions on the context of the persons affected, and on their emotional state, cognitions, and behaviour. Results show the predominance of emotional and cognitive strategies. Intra-observer and inter-observer reliability analysis in coding showed a Cohen's Kappa coefficient of .92 and .87, respectively. The psychological violence analyzed in this study reflects a form of psychological terrorism that harasses and persecutes a specific sector of the population.

Strategies of psychological terrorism perpetrated by ETA’s network: Delimitation and classification / Estrategias del terrorismo psicológico aplicado por el entramado de ETA: delimitación y clasificación

This paper defines and analyzes the harassment perpetrated by ETA’s terrorist network in the Basque Country, providing a taxonomy of its strategies of psychological violence. The usefulness of this taxonomy has been tested and contrasted by means of a content analysis of 19 testimonies of persons who were the victims of violence by the terrorist network. The taxonomy of strategies of psychological violence is made up of four dimensions that emphasize the actions on the context of the persons affected, and on their emotional state, cognitions, and behaviour. Results show the predominance of emotional and cognitive strategies. Intra-observer and inter-observer reliability analysis in coding showed a Cohen’s Kappa coefficient of .92 and .87, respectively. The psychological violence analyzed in this study reflects a form of psychological terrorism that harasses and persecutes a specific sector of the population (AU)

Este estudio delimita y analiza el acoso aplicado por el entramado terrorista de ETA en el País Vasco, aportando para ello una taxonomía de sus estrategias de violencia psicológica. La utilidad de la mencionada clasificación ha sido probada y contrastada mediante un análisis de contenido de 19 testimonios de personas que han sido víctimas de la violencia del entramado terrorista. La taxonomía del conjunto de estrategias de violencia psicológica está compuesta por cuatro dimensiones, que enfatizan respectivamente la acción sobre el contexto cercano del individuo, sobre sus emociones, sus cogniciones y sobre su misma conducta. Los resultados muestran la predominancia de las estrategias de tipo emocional y cognitivo. El análisis de la fiabilidad intraobservador e interobservador en la codificación mostró un coeficiente Kappa de Cohen de .92 y .87, respectivamente. La violencia psicológica analizada en este estudio refleja un tipo de terrorismo psicológico que acosa y persigue a un sector específico de la población (AU)