Forms and Functions of Aggression in Adults: Validation of a Measure of Aggression to Assess Intimate Partner Aggression

Intimate partner aggression (IPA) is a complex construct composed of the means and the motivations by which a person harms their intimate partner. Unfortunately, existing measures only assess forms of IPA perpetration while neglecting to measure the motivations for aggressing. The present study sought to address this by adapting and validating a measure of the forms and functions of adolescent aggression to assess IPA perpetration in adults. This new measure – the Forms and Functions of Intimate Partner Aggression (FFIPA) – comprises four higher-order latent factors (i.e., overt, relational, proactive, and reactive aggression). 140 heterosexual couples experiencing conflict completed the FFIPA. Analyses support the FFIPA’s validity as a measure of the forms and functions of IPA perpetration. As the only instrument that parses the forms and functions of IPA perpetration, the FFIPA allows the examination of the unique motivations of an aggressive partner separately from the form of their behavior