NCJ Number
113944
Editor(s)
M A Straus
Date Published
1988
Length
86 pages
Annotation
This manual for the Conflict Tactics Scale (CTS) discusses the use and scoring of this instrument and discusses methodological issues in the study of family environment and violence.
Abstract
The development and factorial structure of the CTS is described. The CTS, which measures family use of rational discussion, verbal aggression, and physical violence, can be used under a variety of conditions, including personal interview and mail surveys. The scales have moderate to high validity, and there is evidence of construct and concurrent validity. A review of research using the CTS is presented and criticisms of the validity and reliability of the instrument are discussed. These criticisms include its restriction to conflict related violence, use of a limited set of violent acts, the inclusion of threats as violence, response distortion, and lack of attention to the context of family violence. Many of these criticisms are without basis, others are based in the need to develop a measure suitable for survey research. Psychometric properties of the various forms of the CTS are described, together with alternative scoring methods. Norms for the CTS also are provided. Difficulties in defining and measuring violence, abuse, and assault are examined, with emphasis on the role of injury and frequency of assault as criteria for identifying child abuse and wife beating. Finally, issues related to generalizations from clinical and representative samples are discussed. Chapter notes, tables, and references.