Abstract

The purpose of this study is to validate the Reactive-Proactive Aggression Questionnaire (RPQ), a tool for measuring reactive-proactive aggression, in the context of South Korea. A thorough translation was conducted in collaboration with the original author. An exploratory factor analysis (EFA), exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM), rating scale model (Rasch), differential item functioning (DIF), and convergent validity were performed on a sample of 510 South Korean individuals. The results revealed a two-factor structure of reactive and proactive aggression after removing one item showing dual loading. Rating scale analysis based on the Rasch model indicated the appropriateness of the 3-point Likert scale, with all items meeting fit criteria. Although the separation index and separation reliability of proactive aggression was marginally lower, the overall discrimination between participants and items was satisfactory. Examination of participant-item distribution indicated a suitable alignment between reactive aggression and participant ability levels, whereas proactive aggression exhibited slightly elevated item difficulty. Furthermore, three items were found to function differently based on gender. A moderate but statistically significant positive correlation was found between the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-11-R (Korean version) and RPQ from the results of the convergent validity evaluation. Overall, this study employed rigorous statistical methods to validate the suitability of the RPQ for use in Korea, taking cultural nuances into account, and introduced the concepts of reactive and proactive aggression to the Korean general population.