THE AVDH QUESTIONNAIRE (ANGER, VENGEFULNESS, DOMINANCE AND HOSTILITY): NEW QUESTIONNAIRE FOR MEASUREMENT OF AGGRESSIVENESS

The AVDH questionnaire for measurement of aggressiveness resulted from a factor analysis of the aggressiveness/ agreeableness scales from personality questionnaires based on different paradigms and personality models (Big Five Inventory - BFI, IPIP-HEXACO-PI-R, Big Five Plus Two - BF+2, Zuckerman-Kulhman Personality Questionnaire-III-Revised - ZKPQ-III-R, Reinforcement Sensitivity Questionnaire- RSQ and Multidimensional Personality Questionnaire - MPQ). In Study 1, four factors were extracted: Anger, Vengefulness, Dominance, and Hostility. Based on the primary content of the extracted factors and correlations with the dimensions of the Eysenck PEN model and the Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire, new items were created which referred to extracted factors. In Study 2, the four factor structure was confirmed. Based on Item Response Theory, the items with the best psychometric characteristics were retained. All scales, except Hostility, were more discriminant in the domain of average and above average scores. Hostility was discriminant in a wider range of scores. Construct validity of the AVDH questionnaire was confirmed in Study 3 via correlations with the scales of HEXACO-PI-R and the Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire. Gender differences were found only in Vengefulness, which had higher correlations with physical aggression compared to other scales.