Validation of the Intimate Image Abuse Scale: A network psychometrics approach.
Validation of the Intimate Image Abuse Scale: A network psychometrics approach.
Psychology of Violence, Nov 10, 2025, No Pagination Specified; doi:10.1037/vio0000655
Objective: The proliferation of digital technology has facilitated new forms of gender-based violence, including intimate image abuse (IIA)—the nonconsensual creation, distribution, or threat of distribution of explicit images. Existing measures often conflate IIA with broader constructs, limiting their ability to capture its distinct features. This study introduces and validates the Intimate Image Abuse Scale using network psychometrics to better model the complexity of IIA victimization. Method: A total of 497 participants were recruited via an online panel, with rigorous data quality checks implemented to ensure sample integrity. The IIA Scale was developed through expert consultation and item refinement, then analyzed using network psychometrics to assess structural validity. Associations between IIA experiences, other forms of victimization, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms were also examined. Results: Network analysis identified four behavioral clusters: nonconsensual image creation and distribution, voyeurism, digitally manipulated images, and coercion-based abuse. Polyvictimization analyses confirmed IIA’s conceptual distinctiveness from sexual and dating violence, though bridge connections suggested overlapping victimization experiences. In a network of IIA and PTSD symptoms, specific experiences—such as coercion and dissemination threats—were linked to heightened PTSD symptomatology. Conclusions: The IIA Scale is a valid, survivor-informed measure that captures the diverse and interconnected nature of image-based sexual aggression. By identifying core behavioral patterns and psychological correlates of IIA, this study advances measurement approaches to technology-facilitated violence and supports the development of targeted prevention and trauma-informed intervention strategies. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)