Firestone Assessment of Violent Thoughts

Levels

1. Paranoid/Suspicious
2. Persecuted Misfit
3. Self-deprecating/Pseudo-independent
4. Self-aggrandizing
5. Overly aggressive

Theoretical Subscales

1. Instrumental/Proactive violence
2. Hostile/Reactive violence

Development and Research

The FAVT is a brief self-report assessment tool established on the principle that one's thought processes influence one's potential for violent behavior. Psychologists Robert W. Firestone and Lisa Firestone developed the concept of an inner "voice" within a person's mind which commentatates and criticizes the individual and others, and this voice plays a role in violent thoughts. The "voice" and subsequent violent thoughts prime violent behavior and can be used to assess risk factor for violent and aggressive behavior.

The research process in designing the FAVT included data gathered on 639 prisoners, parolees, and domestic violence perpetrators. The Glendon Association's research has found that the FAVT can be used to distinguish between violent and nonviolent individuals. A pilot study was performed and results indicated that the FAVT was able to distinguish between adolescents with a history of violence and those without such a history.

FAVT-A

The Firestone Assessment of Violent Thoughts–Adolescent (FAVT-A) uses the same principles and research as the FAVT, but is designed for adolescents ages 11–18 years. The 35 FAVT-A items are organized into the same five levels and two theoretical subscales as the FAVT.

References

References

1. (Firestone & Firestone, PAR, 2007)
2. "PAR | FAVT, FAVT-A | Firestone Assessment of Violent Thoughts".
3. "PAR | FAVT, FAVT-A | Firestone Assessment of Violent Thoughts".
4. (18 March 2010). "Learning from the Fort Hood Tragedy: Comments from an Expert on Suicide and Violence".
5. "PAR | FAVT, FAVT-A | Firestone Assessment of Violent Thoughts".
6. "Welcome to the Glendon Association".
7. "Welcome to the Glendon Association".
8. Walker, J.S., & Gudjonsson, G.H. (2006). The Maudsley violence questionnaire: relationship to personality and self-reported offending. Personality and Individual Differences, 40(4), 795-806.
9. "PAR | FAVT, FAVT-A | Firestone Assessment of Violent Thoughts".
10. "PAR | FAVT, FAVT-A | Firestone Assessment of Violent Thoughts".
11. Walker, J.S., & Bright, J.A. (2009)
12. "Welcome to the Glendon Association".
13. Cognitive therapy for violence: reaching the parts that anger management doesn't reach. Journal of Forensic Psychiatry & Psychology, 20(2), 174 - 201.
14. "PAR | FAVT, FAVT-A | Firestone Assessment of Violent Thoughts".
15. "Psychological Assessment Products | PAR".
16. "Psychological Assessment Products | PAR".