Validation of the Dutch Reactive Proactive Questionnaire (RPQ): Differential Correlates of Reactive and Proactive Aggression From Childhood to Adulthood

Abstract

This study reports reliability and validity of the Dutch Reactive‐Proactive Aggression Questionnaire (RPQ). In total, 845 participants completed the RPQ along with other measures of aggression. Groups consisted of non‐offender participants, criminal offenders, youngsters (age 6–18), and adults (age above 18). Test–retest stability in a subsample of 324 childhood arrestees was good (all ICC's > 0.41). A confirmatory factor analysis supported the same two‐factor structure as in the original RPQ. Convergent validity was adequate (all r's > 0.16). Moreover, results demonstrated that the proactive and reactive subscales were differentially related to measurements of callousness and impulsiveness, respectively. Criterion validity was shown in that non‐offender subjects demonstrated significantly lower RPQ scores than offender samples. Finally, construct validity was demonstrated in that violent offenders showed higher aggression scores than non‐violent offenders. Proactive aggression showed different developmental trajectories within non‐offender versus criminal samples, indicating that this form of aggression may be more pathological. Aggr. Behav. 39:99–113, 2013.