Validation of the Dutch Sexual Consent Scale-Revised.

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Public Health
• Sociology

Background:

• Growing societal awareness of sexual consent is noted.
• Limited knowledge exists on Dutch youth's sexual consent attitudes and behaviors.
• A validated Dutch sexual consent scale was lacking.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the dimensionality and construct validity of the Dutch Sexual Consent Scale-Revised (SCS-R).
• To assess the psychometric properties of the SCS-R in a diverse Dutch adolescent and young adult population.
• To identify potential adaptations for improved applicability of the SCS-R in the Dutch context.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional quantitative study was conducted.
• The study included 555 Dutch adolescents and young adults aged 16-25.
• Participants comprised heterosexual, non-heterosexual, cisgender women, cisgender men, and non-cisgender individuals.

Main Results:

• Three SCS-R subscales (Positive Attitude, Perceived Behavioral Control, Awareness) demonstrated psychometric robustness.
• Two subscales (Consent Norms, Indirect Consent Behaviors) may benefit from correlated two-level models for better Dutch context applicability.
• Sexual consent experiences aligned less with attitudes in cisgender women and non-heterosexual individuals compared to cisgender men and heterosexual individuals.

Conclusions:

• The Dutch SCS-R is supported for future research, with suggested adaptations for specific subscales.
• Findings underscore the need for inclusive, context-sensitive policies and educational materials on sexual consent.
• Empowering young people to respect boundaries and express preferences regarding sexual consent is crucial.