Psychometric Evidence of the Short Version of the Sexual Violence Beliefs Scale

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.12804/revistas.urosario.edu.co/apl/a.14872

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Published: Nov 11, 2026
Issue: Vol. 44 No. 2 (2026)
Section Artículos


Keywords: violence against women sexual violence validation studies

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Authors

  Lívia Laenny Vieira Pereira de Medeiros
Universidade Federal da Paraíba, Brasil
  Tamyres Tomaz Paiva
Faculdade de Enfermagem Nova Esperança, Brasil
  Carlos Eduardo Pimentel
Universidade Federal da Paraíba, Brasil

Abstract

Sexual violence against women is a major public health concern and a serious violation of human rights. This study aimed to validate the short version of the Beliefs about Sexual Violence Scale (BSVS) in Brazil. To do so, two independent studies were conducted. Study 1 (N = 301) used Item Response Theory and Exploratory Factor Analysis. Study 2 (N = 301) employed Confirmatory Factor Analysis and examined evidence of convergent validity. The results indicated adequate psychometric properties for the scale’s unidimensional structure and satisfactory evidence of convergent validity. Additionally, men showed greater acceptance of beliefs related to sexual violence than women. Overall, the findings support the validity of the short version of the BSVS as a reliable and useful instrument for research and for clinical, legal, and educational settings.

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