ToolsCalculators
Woman Abuse Screening Tool (WAST)
Screens for intimate partner violence in adult women.
Woman Abuse Screening Tool (WAST)
In general, how would you describe your relationship?
Do you and your partner work out arguments with...
Do arguments ever result in you feeling down or bad about yourself?
Do arguments ever result in hitting, kicking or pushing?
Do you ever feel frightened by what your partner says or does?
Has your partner ever abused you physically?
Has your partner ever abused you emotionally?
Has your partner ever abused you sexually?
Result8 points
Below the developer's cut-off of 13; clinical concern still warrants direct enquiry.
- Screen result
- Negative
When to use
- Case-finding for intimate partner violence among women in primary care and other clinical settings, administered privately.
Formula
Eight items each scored 1 (never / none), 2 (sometimes / some), or 3 (often / a lot). Total 8-24; a developer-recommended cut-off of >= 13 suggests abuse.
Pearls and pitfalls
- The first two items (relationship tension and difficulty resolving arguments) constitute the abbreviated WAST-Short.
- A negative screen does not exclude abuse; sensitivity is limited, so respond to clinical suspicion regardless of score.