The instrument consists of 3 questions:
(1) ever hit, kicked, punched, or otherwise hurt
(2) feel safe in current relationship
(3) feel unsafe because of partner from a previous relationship
Responses are yes or no, with responses indicative of potential violence assigned 1 point.
If the person named in the first question was a current or former spouse or other intimate partner, then it was considered indicative of partner violence.
total score for partner violence =
= SUM(points for all 3 questions)
Interpretation:
• minimum score: 0
• maximum score: 3
• A score >= 1 is considered positive for partner-related violence.
Performance:
• Relative to the Conflict Tactics Scale, the PVS showed a sensitivity of 71% and specificity of 84%.
• The positive predictive value ranged from 51-63%.
• The negative predictive value was about 88%.
