Domestic Violence Coping Self-Efficacy Measure (DV-CSE)

Abstract

The Domestic Violence Coping Self-Efficacy Measure (DV-CSE) is a specialized psychometric instrument designed to assess a survivor’s perceived ability to cope with the various psychological, emotional, and practical challenges resulting from intimate partner violence. Developed by Benight and colleagues in 2004, this scale focuses on context-specific self-efficacy beliefs, which are critical predictors of recovery and post-assault adjustment. The measure provides clinicians and researchers with a valuable tool for assessing strengths rather than solely focusing on deficits following domestic violence.

Keywords

Domestic Violence, Coping, Self-Efficacy, Traumatic Stress, Intimate Partner Violence, Psychological Assessment, Women’s Health, Resilience.

Authors

C. C. Benight, A. S. Harding-Taylor, A. M. Midboe, R. L. Durham.

Purpose

The primary purpose of the DV-CSE is to quantify the degree to which an individual—typically a female survivor—believes she is capable of successfully navigating the complex aftermath of domestic assault. This includes managing intense emotional states, addressing practical life needs (housing, finance), and mitigating symptoms of traumatic stress.

The scale aids in treatment planning by identifying specific areas where a survivor’s confidence is low, allowing interventions to be targeted effectively. By measuring perceived coping ability, it shifts the focus from victim blame to personal agency and empowerment in the recovery process from domestic violence.

Construct

The DV-CSE measures self-efficacy, specifically defined in this context as the individual’s belief in their capacity to execute behaviors necessary to manage the outcomes of domestic violence. This construct is rooted in Albert Bandura’s social cognitive theory, emphasizing that perceived competence strongly influences motivation and behavioral persistence, particularly in the face of significant adversity.

Unlike general coping measures, the DV-CSE is context-specific, meaning its 30 items directly relate to challenges faced by survivors, such as managing feelings of guilt, handling fears of being alone, or dealing with flashbacks. Higher scores on the DV-CSE indicate greater perceived ability to cope with trauma-related demands.

Validity

The scale underwent rigorous psychometric validation during its development phase. Content validity was established through item generation derived from qualitative interviews with survivors of intimate partner violence. Construct validity was supported by demonstrating expected correlations with related measures, such as scales of depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress symptoms, showing that higher self-efficacy is reliably associated with lower levels of psychological distress.

Discriminant validity confirms that the DV-CSE measures a unique construct distinct from general personality traits or global coping styles, specifically focusing on trauma-related coping competence in the context of domestic violence. This specificity ensures the measure is highly relevant for clinical and research applications concerning assault recovery.

Reliability

Internal consistency reliability was demonstrated to be high for the overall scale, typically yielding Cronbach’s alpha coefficients well above the acceptable threshold of 0.70 in the initial validation study (Benight et al., 2004). This level of consistency indicates that the 30 items reliably measure the underlying construct of coping self-efficacy.

Test-retest reliability studies, essential for measuring the stability of the instrument over time, have shown acceptable stability, suggesting that the scale provides consistent scores when administered to the same individuals across reasonable time intervals during the recovery process following traumatic stress.

Factor Analysis

Initial factor analysis (Benight et al., 2004) revealed a robust structure, supporting the multidimensional nature of coping following trauma. While often treated as a unified measure of global domestic violence coping self-efficacy, the items cluster into conceptually distinct domains reflecting the diverse challenges faced by survivors.

These domains typically include factors related to emotional regulation (e.g., managing depression and anxiety), functional coping (e.g., managing housing and job responsibilities), and interpersonal coping (e.g., managing trust and rejection), providing a nuanced view of the survivor’s perceived capabilities.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-report questionnaire/scale.

Format: 30 items rated on a 101-point visual analog scale ranging from 0 to 100.

Language Available: English (Original development language).

Population Group: Adult survivors of domestic violence (primarily women).

Age Group: Adults (18+).

Population Details: The scale was initially validated on samples of women seeking services related to intimate partner violence or domestic assault.

Test Methodology: Respondents are asked to rate how capable they feel (from 0= Not Capable to 100= Totally Capable) regarding specific coping behaviors since the most recent assault.

Keywords

Psychometrics, Trauma Recovery, Intimate Partner Violence, Assessment Tool, Resilience, Self-Efficacy.

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Not specified in source content.

Affiliation Email addresses: Not specified in source content.

Correspondence Address: Refer to primary publication (Benight et al., 2004) for correspondence details.

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The DV-CSE was developed and published in 2004. Information regarding current usage permissions and associated fees should be directed to the primary author, C. C. Benight, or the journal publisher, Journal of Traumatic Stress. The instrument is frequently used in academic research and clinical settings; formal permission is generally recommended for use, although non-commercial research use may be allowed without charge.

Reference’s

• Benight, C. C., Harding-Taylor, A. S., Midboe, A. M., & Durham, R. L. (2004). Development and psychometric validation of a domestic violence coping self-efficacy measure (DV-CSE). Journal of Traumatic Stress, 17(6), 505–508. The instrument itself can be found at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/8003698

• Benight et al., (2004). Domestic Violence Coping Self-Efficacy Measure. In: Simmons C. A., Lehmann P. (eds). Tools for strengths-based assessment and evaluation, New York, NY: Springer, pp. 303-305. (2013). See also: Google Scholar

• Benight, C.C., Shoji, K, James, L.E., Waldrep, E.E., Delahanty, D.L., and Cieslak, R. (2015). Trauma Coping Self-Efficacy: A Context Specific Self-Efficacy Measure for Traumatic Stress. Psychol Trauma, 7(6), 591–599.

Items of the Domestic Violence Coping Self-Efficacy Measure (DV-CSE)

IMPORTANT: The following scale items must be preserved in their original language and must not be changed in any way.

The scale items are rated on a continuum from 0= Not Capable to 100= Totally Capable.

1. Feeling good about myself‚ since the most recent assault.
2. Managing feelings of grief‚ loss‚ and abandonment after the latest attack.
3. Managing my housing‚ food‚ clothes‚ and medical needs‚ since the most recent assault.
4. Managing feelings of depression and/or suicidal thoughts‚ since my partner attacked me.
5. Handling feelings of hopelessness and helplessness‚ since the most recent assault.
6. Controlling thoughts that I am going crazy‚ since my latest assault.
7. Managing my feelings of guilt and self-blame about the abuse.
8. Handling fears of being alone after the latest assault.
9. Handling feelings of anger/rage at my partner‚ since the most recent assault.
10. Managing my desire to have closure of my relationship with the abuser.
11. Controlling feelings of anxiety and panic after the latest assault.
12. Coping with loneliness and isolation‚ since the most recent attack.
13. Dealing with nightmares/flashbacks concerning the latest assault.
14. Thinking that I am a competent woman‚ since the most recent assault.
15. Dealing with feelings of shame concerning the abuse.
16. Coping with feeling completely overwhelmed with everything since the most recent assault.
17. Being able to concentrate and effectively handle my home‚ job‚ and parenting responsibilities.
18. Dealing with my anxiety about the future without my partner.
19. Controlling thoughts that “I just can’t handle this.”
20. Being strong emotionally for my family and friends.
21. Managing my own spiritual pain‚ since the most recent assault.
22. Trusting anyone.
23. Coping with my appearance‚ since the most recent assault.
24. Dealing with feelings of sadness.
25. Controlling negative thoughts about myself (for example‚ “I am stupid‚” “I am to blame‚” “I am a loser‚” “I screw-up everything‚” “I deserved to be attacked”).
26. Coping with loss of the “good” aspects of my relationship with the man who assaulted me.
27. Coping with the feelings that family and friends just don’t understand.
28. Handling feelings of embarrassment.
29. Dealing with rejection from others since the latest attack.
30. Handling feelings of inadequacy