The Acceptance of Dating Violence scale (ADV): Psychometric properties of the Spanish version

Background: The main aim of this study was to analyse the psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the Acceptance of Dating Violence (ADV) scale, which assesses attitudes that justify the use of aggression in adolescents' dating relationships. Method: A total of 1,579 high school students (49% girls) from Bizkaia (Spain), aged between 14 and 18 years (M = 15.79, SD = 1.16), completed this questionnaire along with the Irrational Beliefs Scale for Adolescents and the Conflict in Adolescent Dating Relationships Inventory. Results: The factor analyses suggested a one-factor structure, which fits data well for both girls and boys. Moreover, the ADV showed good internal consistency (alpha = .83) and was related to general justification of violence and dating violence (perpetration and victimization). Boys (compared to girls) and adolescents who had had a dating relationship in the past year (compared to those who had not) displayed a higher acceptance of dating violence. Conclusions: The ADV is a useful, brief and easily applicable instrument for the assessment of attitudes toward dating violence.