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Assessing School Victimization in the United States, Guatemala, and Israel: Cross-Cultural Psychometric Analysis of the School Victimization Scale

NCJ Number
236395
Journal
Victims & Offenders Volume: 6 Issue: 3 Dated: July-September 2011 Pages: 290-305
Author(s)
Jennifer Greif Green; Michael J. Furlong; Ron A. Astor; Rami Benbenishty; Evelyn Espinoza
Date Published
July 2011
Length
16 pages
Annotation
This study examines cross-national measurement on school victimization.
Abstract
There is a need for cross-national estimates of school victimization prevalence, yet limited methodological research in this area. The current study evaluates the School Victimization Scale (SVS), administered in the U.S., Guatemala, and Israel (total N=9,722). SVS measurement equivalence was tested to compare subgroups within each country. Two SVS factors emerged in all countries reflecting higher-severity (weapon-related) and lower-severity (physical/verbal) victimization. Israeli data had poor scalar equivalence; Jewish and Arab students with the same SVS score endorsed different items. Findings illustrate the complexity of cross-national measurement of school victimization and the potential for misleading results when psychometric equivalence is ignored. (Published Abstract)