Contributor

Lorelei Simpson Rowe

Abstract

Estimates suggest up to 80% of women are victims of some form of sexual violence. Assertiveness training programs are preventative interventions that empower women with skills to refuse and/or escape unwanted sexual situations. These interventions are efficacious at reducing sexual violence victimization over time but are limited in their dissemination potential. Web-based programs are an alternative that may increase dissemination, although evaluation is needed regarding their efficacy. The current study evaluates the feasibility and efficacy of an assertive resistance training program, My Voice/My Choice (MVMC), for female college students. We hypothesized participation in web-based MVMC would be associated with lower rates of sexual violence victimization over the follow-up period. We also hypothesized that participants who complete web-based MVMC would report fewer barriers to using assertive resistance skills, increased confidence in using assertive resistance skills, reductions in intent to use passive and polite resistance, and increased intent to use assertive resistance. A sample of female college students (n = 141) completed a baseline assessment before they were randomly assigned to participation in MVMC or an active control condition. Participants were contacted one month after baseline and at the end of the semester to complete online follow-up questionnaires. Overall, participants reported general satisfaction with and enjoyment of MVMC. Results also supported the efficacy of MVMC for reducing unwanted sexual contact over one- vi month. Furthermore, Number Needed to Treat (NNT) analyses indicated only six participants completing web-based MVMC would reduce occurrence of any form of sexual victimization by one, and seven participants completing web-based MVMC would reduce the occurrence of unwanted sexual contact by one. Findings from this study demonstrate initial promise for webbased MVMC at reducing unwanted sexual contact for female college students and offer suggestions for improving the program for dissemination with future groups of college women.

Degree Date

Summer 8-6-2019

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

M.A.

Department

Psychology

Advisor

Lorelei Simpson Rowe

Second Advisor

Ernest Jouriles

Third Advisor

David Rosenfield

Number of Pages

54

Format

.pdf

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License

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