Validity and reliability of the Dutch version of the displaced aggression questionnaire

World J Psychiatry. 2021 Dec 19;11(12):1288-1300. doi: 10.5498/wjp.v11.i12.1288.

Abstract

Background: Displaced aggression occurs when a person encounters a provoking situation, is unable or unwilling to retaliate against the original provocateur, and subsequently aggresses against a target that is not the source of the initial provocation. The displaced aggression questionnaire (DAQ) was developed to measure individual differences in the tendency to displace aggression.

Aim: To develop a Dutch version of the DAQ and examine relationships between the DAQ and novel individual differences.

Methods: The Dutch version of the DAQ was created using a back-translation procedure. Undergraduate students (n = 413) participated in the current study. The questionnaires were administered online.

Results: The results confirmed the original three-factor structure and showed good reliability and validity. We also found differential relationships between trait displaced aggression, social anxiety and cognitive distortions.

Conclusion: The results may indicate that distinct patterns exist in the development of the different dimensions of trait displaced aggression. This study adds to the growing cross-cultural literature showing the robustness of trait displaced aggression in several different cultures.

Keywords: Displaced aggression; Displaced aggression questionnaire; Dutch translation; Psychometric properties; Questionnaire.