Scale Description

The Diverse Adolescent Relational Aggression Scale (DARAS-28) is a psychometric tool designed to assess relational aggression among adolescents. It consists of 28 questions that examine various aspects of relational aggression, such as social manipulation, ostracism, and negative peer interactions.

Data Analysis and Usage

Data collected from the DARAS-28 are analyzed to identify patterns and associations in relational aggression. Analyses may include descriptive statistics, Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) to examine differences between groups, and multivariate analysis to understand the relationships between relational aggression and other psychological or social factors.

Objective

The primary objective of the DARAS-28 is to measure the extent and nature of relational aggression exhibited by adolescents. The tool aims to better understand how adolescents use aggressive strategies in their relationships and how these behaviors impact their social interactions and psychological well-being.

Calibration

The DARAS-28 is scored using a Likert scale, where participants rate each statement from “Strongly Disagree” to “Strongly Agree.” The scores are aggregated to determine an individual’s level of relational aggression, with higher scores indicating higher levels of aggression in relationships.

Bibliography

Crick, N. R., & Grotpeter, J. K. (1995). Relational aggression, gender, and social-psychological adjustment. Child Development, 66(3), 710-722.

Grotpeter, J. K., & Crick, N. R. (1996). Relational aggression, overt aggression, and peer relations. Developmental Psychology, 32(5), 697-707.

Prinstein, M. J., & Cillessen, A. H. N. (2003). Forms and functions of adolescent peer aggression associated with high levels of peer status. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 112(3), 331-341.

Sutton, J., Smith, P. K., & Swettenham, J. (1999). Social cognition and bullying: Social inadequacy or skilled manipulation? Social Development, 8(1), 117-127.

Björkqvist, K., Lagerspetz, K., & Kaukiainen, A. (1992). Do girls manipulate and boys fight? Developmental trends in regard to direct and indirect aggression. Aggressive Behavior, 18(2), 117-127.