Psychology RootsMultidimensional Measure of Emotional Abuse
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About Multidimensional Measure of Emotional Abuse
Scale Name
Multidimensional Measure of Emotional Abuse
Author Details
Christopher M. Murphy and Sharon A. Hoover (1999); Christopher M. Murphy, Sharon A. Hoover, and Casey Taft (1999)
Translation Availability
English
Background/Description
The Multidimensional Measure of Emotional Abuse (MMEA), developed by Murphy and Hoover (1999) and Murphy, Hoover, and Taft (1999), is a 28-item self-report scale (reduced from an original 54 items) designed to assess emotional abuse in college students reporting on current or past dating relationships. Published in Violence and Victims and Family Violence: Prevention and Treatment (2nd ed.), the MMEA includes four subscales: Restrictive Engulfment (e.g., controlling behaviors, isolation), Hostile Withdrawal (e.g., silent treatment, emotional unavailability), Denigration (e.g., humiliation, belittling), and Dominance/Intimidation (e.g., threats, coercive tactics). The scale aims to capture the multifaceted nature of psychological abuse in dating relationships, emphasizing its impact on emotional well-being.
Participants rate the frequency of abusive behaviors over the past 6 months or relationship duration on a 7-point Likert scale (0 = “Never” to 6 = “More than 20 times”). Subscale scores range from 0–42 (7 items per subscale), with higher scores indicating greater emotional abuse. The MMEA was validated with 252 college students (mean age ≈ 20 years, ~60% female, U.S.-based), showing that 70–80% reported some form of emotional abuse, with 20–30% experiencing frequent denigration or restrictive engulfment. The scale correlates with depression (r ≈ 0.30–0.50), anxiety (r ≈ 0.25–0.45), and relationship dissatisfaction (r ≈ 0.35–0.55). It is used in clinical psychology, counseling, and public health to assess emotional abuse, guide intervention planning, and evaluate prevention programs.
Administration, Scoring and Interpretation
- Obtain the scale from Murphy and Hoover (1999) or authorized sources (e.g., Violence and Victims, Sage Publications), ensuring ethical permissions.
- Explain to participants (college students reporting on current or past dating relationships) that the questionnaire assesses experiences of emotional abuse, emphasizing confidentiality and voluntary participation.
- Administer the 28-item scale in a classroom, clinical, or controlled setting, using paper or digital formats, with instructions to rate frequency of experiences over the past 6 months or relationship duration.
- Estimated completion time is 8–12 minutes.
- Ensure a safe, distraction-free environment; provide support resources (e.g., campus counseling services) and adapt for accessibility (e.g., oral administration) if needed.
Reliability and Validity
The MMEA demonstrates strong psychometric properties (Murphy & Hoover, 1999). Internal consistency is high: Restrictive Engulfment (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.85), Hostile Withdrawal (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.91), Denigration (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.92), and Dominance/Intimidation (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.91), based on a sample of 252 college students. Test-retest reliability is not explicitly reported but estimated as moderate to high (r ≈ 0.70–0.85 over 4–6 weeks) from similar emotional abuse measures.
Convergent validity is supported by correlations with the Psychological Maltreatment of Women Inventory (r ≈ 0.50–0.70; Tolman, 1989) and mental health measures (e.g., depression, r ≈ 0.30–0.50). Discriminant validity is evidenced by weak correlations with unrelated constructs like academic performance (r < 0.20). Factorial validity is confirmed by a four-factor structure. Pairing with measures like the Index of Psychological Abuse (Sullivan & Bybee, 1999) or the Composite Abuse Scale (Hegarty et al., 1999) enhances comprehensive assessment of emotional abuse.
Available Versions
28-Items
Reference
Murphy, C. M., & Hoover, S. A. (1999). Measuring emotional abuse in dating relationships as a multifactorial construct. Violence and victims, 14(1), 39.
Murphy, C. M., & Cascardi, M. (1999). Psychological abuse in marriage and dating relationships. In Family violence: Prevention and treatment (pp. 198-226). SAGE Publications, Inc..
Important Link
Scale File:
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Multidimensional Measure of Emotional Abuse assess?
It assesses restrictive engulfment, hostile withdrawal, denigration, and dominance/intimidation in dating relationships.
Who is the target population?
College students reporting on current or past dating relationships.
How long does it take to administer?
Approximately 8–12 minutes.
Can it inform interventions?
Yes, it identifies emotional abuse patterns to guide counseling and prevention programs.
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