Comparative Analysis of PAI Profiles in Intimate Partner Violence and Non-Victimized Samples

Abstract Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a serious cause of concern for forensic professionals, lawmakers, and society. However, only a few studies have investigated the features of IPV victimization that may aid in judicial cases and in providing appropriate treatment for victims. The main objective of the present study was to determine how the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI) can differentiate between victimized and non-victimized women and assess its predictive value concerning victims’ profiles. Participants were divided into victims (initial sample: N = 132; and victims with valid PAI profiles: N = 107) and control ( N = 107) groups based on the attribution of Victim/Particularly Vulnerable Victim status according to Portuguese legislation. We investigated how the PAI scales and subscales could discriminate between the two groups using ROC curve analysis, cut-off scores, and logistic regression models. ROC curve analysis and cut-off scores of Suicidal Ideation (SUI), Stress (STR), Traumatic Stress (ARD-T), Persecution (PAR-P), Affective Instability (BOR-A), Identity Problems (BOR-I), Negative Relationships (BOR-N), and Affective Depression (DEP-A) revealed adequate discrimination, and logistic regression analysis confirmed that these scales and subscales were relevant in the identification of IPV victims. Taken together, these results revealed that some expected PAI scales and subscales may accurately discriminate victims of IPV, which may be useful in forensic intervention and decision-making processes.