Likelihood of Violence and Delinquency Scale [LVDS]

Description

The Likelihood of Violence and Delinquency Scale (LVDS) is a psychological assessment tool used to estimate an individual’s perceived likelihood of engaging in violent, delinquent, or other high-risk behaviors. The instrument is based on psychometric principles and is designed to assess current risk through questions addressing attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors related to violence and delinquency.

The source material describes four broad categories: attitudes toward violence, attitudes toward delinquency, beliefs about violence, and beliefs about delinquency.

Purpose

The primary purpose of the LVDS is to identify individuals who may be at increased risk of engaging in violent or delinquent behavior. According to the provided material, the scale may be used in clinical, educational, and correctional settings and can support the development of interventions and treatment plans.

The instrument specifically asks respondents to estimate the likelihood that they will engage in certain behaviors during the next month.

Analysis

The version presented in the file includes 9 items assessing the likelihood of behaviors such as:

• getting into a physical fight,
• carrying a gun or knife,
• being injured or injuring another person in a fight,
• drinking alcohol or getting drunk,
• using drugs,
• having sexual intercourse.

According to the source, the scale measures the perceived likelihood of involvement in violence and other high-risk behaviors.

Age Range

The scale is intended for young people aged 12 to 16 years.

Scoring

In the scoring section of the source material, responses are coded on a four-point scale:

4 = Very likely
3 = Somewhat likely
2 = Not very likely
1 = Not at all likely

Scores are summed and divided by the number of items, producing an intended score range of 1 to 4. Higher scores indicate a greater perceived likelihood of engaging in violent or other delinquent behavior.

Note: The descriptive section of the source refers to a 1–5 scale, whereas the detailed scoring instructions specify a 1–4 scale. This inconsistency is present in the provided material and should be checked against the official version before formal research use.

References

Dahlberg, L. L., Toal, S. B., & Behrens, C. B. (1998). Measuring violence-related attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors among youths: A compendium of assessment tools. Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control.

Flewelling, R. L., Paschall, M. J., & Ringwalt, C. L. SAGE Baseline Survey. Research Triangle Park, NC: Research Triangle Institute.

The source notes that the scale is published in Dahlberg, Toal, and Behrens (1998).