The IPAS
To account for the measurement flaws in current devices, I created the Intimate Partner Abuse Scales (IPAS). Click on the arrows below to learn more.
To address the limitations of the CTS2, the IPAS:
Includes diverse abusive behaviors
These behaviors comprise psychological, physical, and sexual abuse, with a strong focus on psychological abuse.
Captures abusive behaviors and traits
One section measures the frequency of abusive behaviors in a subject's relationship (such as degrading/being degraded by your partner).
The other section measures the degree of power imbalance between a subject and their partner since a power imbalance is a trait that underlies abusive relationships.
Uses non-heteronormative language
The language and questions are designed to be inclusive to people in all types of relationships.
These aspects of the IPAS give it a higher chance of being able to identify IPV, especially in early abusive relationships, since it measures diverse psychological abuse behaviors and abusive traits.
These elements also allow the IPAS to be used in a broader population (such as non-heterosexual relationships), making it easier to develop an understanding of IPV across all involved communities.
Once I created the IPAS, the next step was to test it.