Unpacking Gun Violence: Differentiating Reactive and Proactive Firearm Violence with the Gun Violence Questionnaire Among Violently Injured Men

Firearm violence is a pervasive public health concern in the United States. However, the study of firearm violence is a relatively new area of research that is limited by a dearth of validated measures that assess firearm violence and behavior. Moreover, prior studies have assessed firearm behavior as a unidimensional construct, which is inconsistent with theories of aggression. The goal of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Gun Violence Questionnaire (GVQ), a novel measure for firearm violence, in a sample of male adults who sustained violence-related injuries. Participants were 242 violently injured male adults ages 18 to 45 years (<i>M</i> = 27.94) presenting for care for violence-related injuries at a Level-1 trauma center. Participants completed the GVQ and self-reported on other measures hypothesized to be correlated with firearm violence. Confirmatory factor analysis supported a two-factor structure of the GVQ, with subscales representing reactive and proactive firearm violence. Multiple regression analyses provided support for the convergent validity of the GVQ. The Reactive Firearm Violence subscale was associated with reactive aggression, defensive firearm behavior, impulsivity, and a lack of concern about the emotional consequences of firearm misuse. Proactive firearm violence was associated with proactive aggression and offensive firearm behavior. We discuss the implications of tailoring firearm violence interventions to target specific correlates and mechanisms associated with each type of firearm violence and areas for future research to bolster the evidence for firearm prevention efforts. Taken together, findings support the use of the GVQ to understand firearm violence and behavior among male adults.