Development and validation of the Subtypes of Antisocial Behavior Questionnaire

There is converging evidence that physical aggression, rule-breaking, and social aggression constitute meaningfully distinct, if somewhat overlapping, components of the broader construct of antisocial behavior. Indeed, these subtypes appear to have different developmental trajectories, demographic correlates, and personological underpinnings. They also demonstrate important etiological distinctions. One potential limitation to accumulating additional scientific insights into the correlates and origins of these three types of antisocial behavior is the lack of an efficient self-report assessment in the public domain. We developed the 32-item Subtypes of Antisocial Behavior Questionnaire (STAB) to fill this gap. Our goal was to develop a brief measure that could reliably and validly assess each of the three major subtypes of antisocial behavior and that would be freely available for other researchers. The present series of studies provides initial evidence of the factorial validity, internal consistency, and criterion-related validity of the STAB scales. In short, it appears that the STAB is a brief and useful measure that can be used to differentiate and assess physically aggressive, rule-breaking, and socially aggressive forms of antisocial behavior.