Past Feelings and Acts of Violence Scale [PFAV-12]

Scale Analysis

The Past Feelings and Acts of Violence Scale (PFAV-12) was developed in 1990 by Plutchik and van Praag and consists of 12 items. It focuses primarily on feelings of anger, overt aggressive behavior, and past history related to violent or aggressive acts.

The instrument is intended to provide a structured assessment of factors associated with previous expressions of aggression and may be used as part of a broader evaluation of the risk of violent behavior.

Purpose

The primary purpose of the PFAV-12 is to assess the risk of violent behavior and physical aggression, with the aim of identifying individuals who may have an increased likelihood of displaying aggressive behavior.

Scoring

The PFAV-12 includes 12 items. According to the source material, the first three items assess the frequency of anger, while the next six examine the frequency of violent behaviors and access to weapons. Items 10 and 11 address a history of aggressive and non-aggressive criminal behavior, while the final item asks whether the individual keeps a weapon at home and knows how to use it.

The source states that responses range from 0 = never to 5 = very often, while also noting that each item has four possible responses. Since these two descriptions are not fully consistent, the exact response format should be confirmed from the original version of the instrument before administration.

The source further reports that a score of 5 on the PFAV provided approximately 71% sensitivity and specificity in distinguishing violent from non-violent psychiatric patients.

Statistical Analysis

The scale produces an overall score derived from the combined responses to the individual items. According to the source material, higher scores indicate a greater likelihood that the individual may display violent behavior.

The total score may be used in descriptive or comparative analyses and may also be examined in relation to other clinical, psychological, or sociodemographic variables.

Validity and Reliability

The source reports that the PFAV-12 demonstrated good internal consistency and adequate reliability, with a Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of α = 0.77.

References

Plutchik, R., & Van Praag, H. M. (1990). A self-report measure of violence risk, II. Comprehensive Psychiatry, 31(5), 450–456.