Does Question Format Matter in Assessing the Prevalence of Sexual Aggression? A Methodological Study

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Criminology
• Sociology

Background:

• Growing research on sexual aggression necessitates methodological improvements for accurate prevalence assessment.
• Previous studies suggest question format influences self-reported sexual aggression and victimization rates.
• Understanding these methodological nuances is crucial for reliable data collection in sexual violence research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of question order in the Sexual Aggression and Victimization Scale (SAV-S) on reported prevalence rates.
• To determine if presenting coercive tactics before sexual acts versus sexual acts before coercive tactics affects self-reported sexual aggression and victimization.
• To analyze potential gender differences in response to varying question formats.

Main Methods:

• A study involving 1,253 participants (621 female, 632 male) randomly assigned to two versions of the SAV-S.
• Version 1: Coercive tactics presented first, followed by sexual acts.
• Version 2: Sexual acts presented first, followed by coercive tactics.

Main Results:

• No significant version effects were found for overall sexual aggression perpetration rates in men or women.
• Women reported significantly higher overall sexual victimization rates when coercive tactics were presented first.
• Classification by most severe experience showed fewer women as nonvictims and more men in the nonconsensual sexual contact category when tactics were presented first.

Conclusions:

• The order of questions in sexual aggression assessment tools significantly influences reported victimization rates, particularly for women.
• Presenting coercive tactics before detailing sexual acts may lead to higher reported victimization, suggesting a potential measurement bias.
• Findings have critical implications for the accurate measurement of self-reported sexual aggression victimization and perpetration.