Development and validation of the 5-item intimate partner violence scale (IPVS-5): Psychometric properties in a large-scale Chinese study.

BACKGROUND

Intimate partner violence (IPV) poses serious threats to both physical and mental health and is increasingly recognized as a major public health concern. Despite its prevalence in China, culturally sensitive and psychometrically robust Intimate partner violence scales remain scarce. This study aimed to develop and validate a brief scale for IPV.

METHODS

Data were obtained from the Psychology and Behavior Investigation of Chinese Residents (PBICR, 2023), which included 23,469 participants. The scale development process involved a literature review and expert consultations. Psychometric evaluation included item analysis, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, internal consistency assessment, and tests of convergent validity with depression (PHQ-9), anxiety (GAD-7), and stress (PSS-4). Latent profile analysis (LPA) was conducted to examine heterogeneity in IPV severity.

RESULTS

The IPVS-5 demonstrated excellent internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.947), a clear unidimensional factor structure, and good convergent validity with the PHQ-9, GAD-7, and PSS-4 (r = 0.45-0.47). Latent Profile Analysis (LPA) identified three distinct subgroups representing relatively low, moderate, and high IPV severity. Participants in the higher-severity profiles reported significantly greater anxiety and depressive symptoms than those in the lower-severity profiles.

CONCLUSION

The IPVS-5 is a valid, reliable, and efficient scale for identifying IPV. Its strong psychometric properties support its use in population-based research and assessment.