Citation

Fonseka RW, Challa S, Silverman JG. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023; 20(14): e6385.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2023, MDPI: Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute)

DOI

10.3390/ijerph20146385

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

(1) Background: This study sought to assess the appropriateness of a five-item scale to measure attitudes towards IPV (ATT-IPV) among married adolescent girls and their husbands in Niger, a population in which this scale has not yet been tested. (2) Methods: Using data collected from 1100 pairs of married adolescents, aged 13-19 years old, and their husbands across 48 villages in rural Niger, we performed classical test theory reliability and exploratory factor analysis, followed by item response theory (IRT) analyses and testing differential item functioning (DIF) by gender. (3) Results: The ATT-IPV scale was found to be internally consistent (alpha = 0.8) and unidimensional in this population, with all items loading onto one factor. We found differential item functioning of the following item: "In your opinion, is a husband justified in hitting or beating his wife in the following situations: If she burns his food?" by gender, suggesting that in order to have a scale that performs similarly in men and women, that item should be removed. (4) Conclusions: The ATT-IPV scale is useful as a measure of attitudes towards IPV among married adolescents and their husbands in Niger. However, it may need to be updated to reflect additional forms of violence and to eliminate gender-differential responses in order to be a more effective measure.

Language: en

Keywords

ATT-IPV scale; attitudes; differential item functioning; gender-based violence; married adolescents; Niger; violence against women and girls; West Africa