Buss Warren Brief Aggression Questionnaire- Machine-Learning - BWAQ-ML

Technical Manual

Script Author: Katja Borchert, Ph.D. (katjab@millisecond.com), Millisecond

Created: May 28, 2026

Last Modified: May 28, 2026 by K. Borchert (katjab@millisecond.com), Millisecond

Background

This script implements the Buss Warren Brief Aggression Questionnaire, Machine-Learning (BWAQ-ML) by Jiang et al (2013), an ultra short aggression questionnaire based on the Buss Warren Brief Aggression Questionnaire (BWAQ). Jiang et al report that the BWAQ-ML reaches a 83-89% predictive performance of the much longer BWAQ. The reported Cronbach Alpha was about 0.84.

The BWAQ-ML was generated using machine learning techniques. It is intended as a quick screening tool for aggression in adolescents.

References

Bwaq-Ml (Distributed Under The Creative Commons Attribution (Cc By) License)

Jiang, X., Yang, Y., & Li, J. (2023). Developing a Short-Form Buss–Warren Aggression Questionnaire Based on Machine Learning. Behavioral Sciences, 13(10), 799. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs13100799

Bwaq (Commercial, 34-Items)

Buss, A. H., & Warren, W. L. (2000). Aggression Questionnaire: Manual. Los Angeles, CA: Western Psychological Services.

Bpaq (No Permission Required For Academic Use, 29 Items)

Buss, A.H. and Perry, M.P. (1992). The Aggression Questionnaire. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 63, 452-459.

Duration

1 minute

Description

4 5-point Likert style questions, self-report

Summary Data

File Name: bwqaML_summary.iqdat

Data Fields

Name	Description
startDate	Date the session was run
startTime	Time the session was run
subjectId	Participant ID
groupId	Group number
sessionId	Session number
elapsedTime	Session duration in ms
inquisit.version	Inquisit version number
computer.platform	Device platform: win \| mac \|ios \| android
computer.touch	0 = device has no touchscreen capabilities; 1 = device has touchscreen capabilities
computer.hasKeyboard	0 = no external keyboard detected; 1 = external keyboard detected
completed	0 = Test was not completed 1 = Test was completed
bwqaMLTotal	Sum of all responses (Range: 4-20), the higher the score, the higher the reported aggression tendencies threshold: scores >= 11 are generally interpreted as indicative of 'high aggression'

Raw Data

File Name: bwqaML.iqdat

Data Fields

Name	Description
date	Date the session was run
time	Time the session was run
subject	Participant ID
group	Group number
session	Session number
build	Inquisit version number
q*_response	Response given (in assigned values) Scale: 1 (extremely uncharacteristic) to 7 (extremely characteristic)
q*_latency	How much time (in ms) the participant spent on the surveyPage with this particular question (the last time this particular surveyPage was visited)