Measuring Sexual Aggression Perpetration in College Men: A Comparison of Two Measures

The present study was designed to provide a comparison of rates of self-reported sexual aggression perpetration obtained using two different measures - a version of the Sexual Experiences Survey (SES; Abbey et al, 2007; Koss, Gidycz, & Wisniewski, 1987) and the Sexual Strategies Scale (SSS, Strang, et al, 2013; Struckman-Johnson, Struckman-Johnson, & Anderson, 2003). We also examined the psychometric structure of each measure using Rasch model item analysis (Rasch, 1966).

Two equivalent cohorts of entering freshman males (N = 994 and N = 1043) from a large northeastern university completed online measures at the end of their first semester.

Identical proportions of men reported using intoxication strategies (3%) and physical force (1%) during the past semester on both measures. However, more men reported verbal strategies on the SSS (7.8%) compared with the SES (3.7%), even when restricting to equivalent items. Rasch analysis suggested that the SSS conformed better to a unidimensional continuum of perpetration severity than the SES; however, Rasch analysis did not provide definitive support for either a tactic - based (SSS) nor a tactic plus outcome- based (SES) hierarchy.

Both measures functioned adequately. However, the SSS may be preferred for its better Rasch properties, better assessment of the less severe tactics, and simpler wording.