Description

The Woman Abuse Screening Tool [WAST-8] is a brief screening instrument designed to identify physical and emotional abuse experienced by women within intimate or family relationships. It was developed by researchers from the Centre for Studies in Family Medicine and the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Western Ontario, including Judith Belle Brown and colleagues.

The scale was designed as a practical screening measure that can be used particularly in clinical and research settings to identify possible experiences of abuse.

Purpose

The primary purpose of the WAST-8 is to screen for possible physical and emotional abuse experienced by women in the context of an intimate relationship.

The instrument is not intended to function as a complete diagnostic assessment on its own, but rather as an initial screening tool that can indicate cases requiring further evaluation and support.

Structure and Scoring

The WAST-8 consists of 8 items. Responses are recorded on a three-point Likert scale, ranging from 1 to 3, reflecting the frequency or intensity of the relevant experiences.

Item scores are summed to calculate a total score. In the form described here, the total score ranges from 8 to 24, while a cut-off score of 13 has been proposed as an indication of possible abuse.

Statistical Analysis

Data analysis may include calculation of the total score as well as assessment of the scale’s internal consistency.

In research applications, additional analyses may include group comparisons, correlations with other psychosocial variables, and diagnostic accuracy analyses, depending on the design and purpose of the study.

Validity and Reliability

The WAST has demonstrated satisfactory internal consistency and reliability. The material provided reports a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.75.

The scale has also been adapted into Greek by Vivilaki and colleagues, supporting its use with Greek-speaking populations within appropriately designed clinical or research contexts.

Applications

The WAST-8 may be used in primary healthcare, clinical services, social care settings, and research studies when a brief and systematic assessment of possible intimate partner or family abuse is required.

Results should be interpreted carefully, and where indications of abuse are identified, appropriate professional assessment and support should follow.

References

Brown, J. B., Lent, B., Schmidt, G., & Sas, G. Woman Abuse Screening Tool (WAST). Centre for Studies in Family Medicine, Department of Family Medicine, University of Western Ontario.

Vivilaki, V. G., Dafermos, V., Patelarou, E., Bick, D., Syngelaki, A., Tsopelas, N. D., Bitsios, P., Petridou, E. T., Vgontzas, A. N., & Lionis, C. Greek adaptation and evaluation of the Woman Abuse Screening Tool.

Keywords: abuse, domestic violence, intimate partner violence, women, WAST-8