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The Juvenile Victimization Questionnaire: reliability, validity, and national norms
David Finkelhor1, Sherry L Hamby, Richard Ormrod
1Crimes Against Children Research Center, University of New Hampshire, 126 Horton Social Science Center, Durham, NH 03824, USA.
Child Abuse & Neglect
|May 27, 2005
Summary
The Juvenile Victimization Questionnaire (JVQ) effectively identified recent child victimization in a national survey. The JVQ demonstrated reliability and validity, making it useful for research and clinical evaluation.
Area of Science:
- Child Psychology
- Criminology
- Public Health
Background:
- Childhood victimization is a significant public health concern.
- Accurate assessment tools are crucial for understanding the prevalence and impact of child victimization.
- The Juvenile Victimization Questionnaire (JVQ) was developed to assess recent victimization experiences in children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the utility and performance of the 34-item Juvenile Victimization Questionnaire (JVQ).
- To assess the JVQ's effectiveness in eliciting recent victimization experiences from a national sample of children aged 2-17.
Main Methods:
- A national random digit dial telephone survey was conducted with 2,030 children.
- Youth aged 10-17 provided self-reports using the JVQ.
- Caregivers provided proxy reports for children aged 2-9 using the JVQ.
Main Results:
- The JVQ disclosed high rates of recent victimization (71% reported at least one incident in the past year).
- The instrument showed good construct validity, test-retest reliability, and minimal respondent confusion.
- Victimization was reported across all age groups, with comparable self- and proxy-report data.
Conclusions:
- The Juvenile Victimization Questionnaire (JVQ) is a valuable tool for assessing child victimization.
- The JVQ shows potential for use in future epidemiological research and clinical evaluations of child victimization.