Abstract
Purpose: Psychological violence within intimate relationships remains a significant public health concern
across societies. Multiple scales have been developed to measure victimization and perpetration, aiding
our understanding of their complexities. However, few empirically validated scales capture perceptions of
psychological abuse or what individuals perceive as psychologically abusive behaviors, hindering our full
grasp of the dynamics. This article addresses these gaps with the Perception of Partner Psychological
Abuse Scale (PPPAS), which measures and enhances understanding of abusive behaviors within intimate
relationships.
Methods: Preliminary activities included establishing face and content validity and conducting a pilot
study to assess feasibility, suitability, and potential challenges. The main study (904 respondents: 441
from Nigeria and 463 from South Africa) utilized an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) to determine the
factor structure of the PPPAS.
Results: The results indicate that the PPPAS effectively measures individuals' perception of partner
psychological abuse. The identified 17-item, four-factor structure (i.e., verbal aggression/abuse,
isolation/control, ignoring/neglect, and economic/financial abuse) aligns well with the data, with both
collective and individual observed variables contributing to the measurement of the overall construct and
its sub-constructs. Convergent validity captured the scale’s correlation with similar constructs, and
discriminant validity established the scale’s ability to accurately distinguish itself from unrelated
constructs.
Conclusion: The PPPAS adds to the arsenal of scales on partner psychological abuse. It is suitable for
comprehending perception and its impact on victimization, perpetration, and the inclination for
psychological abuse. Knowledge derived can promote accountability, facilitate behavior change, and
empower victims to recognize and avoid abusive interactions.