Measures of aggressive behavior: overview of clinical and research instruments

This overview of current aggressive measures is offered as an aid for selection of task-appropriate instruments to meet the needs of both clinicians and researchers. The article provides a general overview of selected aggression instruments and is intended to provide readers with information, such as intended purpose of the instrument, general descriptive information, characteristics of the samples used, and psychometric properties, to assist in identifying instruments that may best suit their clinical and/or research needs. It is also offered as a tool to assist clinicians in selecting such measurement instruments for use in their practice and in understanding results of research studies. Selected instruments have also been categorized to differentiate between those that reflect state or trait characteristics and based on method of administration. Measures were included or not included in this article primarily based on frequency of usage in research and/or clinical settings and potential clinical utility.