Elaboración y validación de una escala de violencia intrafamiliar en las usuarias de las unidades de violencia, Cuenca. junio - noviembre 2013

Abstract

Objective: Develop and validate a scale to measure the type of domestic violence and its severity upon the people who submit complaints of this nature at the respective Violence Units located in Cuenca, from June to November 2013.

Materials and Methods: This is categorized as a quantitative, descriptive and observational research. Universe: reference was made to a universe of 2555 women who reported domestic violence at the Comisarías de la Mujer in Cuenca during the year 2011. The sampling was produced with the program Epi Info 6.0., with a confidence level of 95%, an expected prevalence of 60%, a worst acceptable of 65%, calculating a possible 10% lost thereby obtaining a sample of 356 participants. A form that is structured by socio demographic variables was used, it was also integrated the scale “VIFJ4” that measures the type of domestic violence and the severity of it in people who have suffered some kind of domestic violence. Statistics Cronbach’s Alpha Test was used for the internal validity of this diagnostic test.

Results: The test “VIFJ4” was developed, its purpose is to identify the presence of violence and also to measure its severity. This test maintains its internal consistency throughout time; it has an initial Cronbach´s Alpha of 0,938, and a retest Cronbach´s Alpha of 0,944.

Conclusions: In the Violence Units of Cuenca we have observed alarming quantities of complaints of violence toward women; furthermore the test “VIFJ4” maintains its internal consistency being useful to evaluate the type of violence suffered along with its severity by the complainant.

KEY WORDS: DOMESTIC VIOLENCE/PSYCHOLOGY, VIOLENCE TOWARDS WOMEN, VIOLENCE UNITS, PREVALENCE, CUENCA-ECUADOR.