Measuring Sexual Excitation and Sexual Inhibition in a Dutch-Speaking Sample

Background: Individual differences in sexual excitation and sexual inhibition are important predictors of sexual functioning. Psychometric instruments for these aspects of sexual response were originally developed separately for men (Sexual Inhibition /Sexual Excitation Scales [SIS/SES]) and women (Sexual Excitation/Sexual Inhibition Inventory for Women [SESII-W]). These measures were then adapted to function similarly in samples comprising both men and women (Sexual Inhibition/Sexual Excitation Scales-Short Form [SIS/SES-SF] and Sexual Excitation/Sexual Inhibition Inventory for Women and Men [SESII-W/M], respectively). No published study to our knowledge has administered the SIS/SES and SESII-W/M questionnaires to a sample of both women and men. In the present study, we sought to validate Dutch versions of these measures of sexual excitation and sexual inhibition as well as evaluate tests of measurement invariance across gender. Methodology: Several researchers fluent in both English and Dutch translated the English versions of the SIS/SES, SIS/SES-SF, and SESII-W/M to Dutch. Using a secondary dataset in which these items had been administered to Dutch-speaking women (n = 688) and men (n = 340), we conducted tests of measurement invariance using multiple group confirmatory factor analysis. Results: The 3-factor structure of the 45-item SIS/SES did not fit the data well in a Flemish sample. However, results from the present study supported the original factor structures for the 3-factor 14-item SIS/SES-SF and 6-factor 30-item SESII-W/M. Further, both the SIS/SES-SF and SESII-W/M exhibited configural invariance, metric invariance, partial scalar invariance, and partial residual invariance across gender. Conclusion: While the SESII-W has been successfully translated to Dutch, there have not been any published studies using Dutch versions of the SIS/SES, SIS/SES-SF, or SESII-W/M. In a Dutch-speaking sample of women and men, our analyses suggested that the SIS/SES-SF may be the most efficient available tool for directly comparing sexual excitation and sexual inhibition across women and men; however, the SESII-W/M also demonstrated positive qualities. Researchers interested in making comparisons across gender might consider developing a new scale that combines items from these measures or one that comprises an entirely new set of items created with the intention of functioning similarly for women and men

Within-Person Variability of Internal and External Sexual Consent

Background: Sexual consent is often conceptualized as an internal willingness to engage in sexual activity, which can be communicated externally to a sexual partner. Preliminary evidence indicates that people’s sexual consent varies from day to day. Study designs that assess sexual consent at multiple time points (e.g., experience sampling methodology [ESM]) are needed to better understand the within-person variability of sexual consent; however, extant validated measures of sexual consent are not appropriate for ESM studies, which require shorter assessments due to the increased burden this methodology has on participants. As such, the goal of this dissertation was to develop valid ESM measures of sexual consent and then administer them in an ESM study. Methodology: In Manuscript 1, I selected items that demonstrated face validity as evidenced by cognitive interviews (n = 10) and content validity as evidenced by experts’ ratings (n = 6). To assess the construct validity and feasibility of these items, I administered the selected ESM measures of sexual consent in a seven-day pilot study (n = 12). In Manuscript 2, I conducted a 28-day ESM study (n = 113) to assess whether and how internal consent feelings and external consent communication vary from day to day. Results: In Manuscript 1, the results suggested that the ESM measures developed in the present study were valid and feasible assessments of people’s day-to-day internal consent feelings and external consent communication. In Manuscript 2, I found that more than 50% (and up to 80%) of the variance in sexual consent scores could be accounted for by within-person variability. Using multilevel models, I further found that internal consent feelings predicted external consent communication when accounting for both within- and between-person variability. Conclusion: Overall, the findings of this dissertation provided initial evidence regarding the extent that situational contexts are relevant for sexual consent. Future research on sexual consent should consider using ESM study designs to investigate the potential momentary contextual, intrapersonal, and interpersonal factors of individual partnered sexual events that are associated with people’s internal consent feelings and external consent communication. I concluded with recommendations for sex researchers interested in ESM

Introduction to the special issue on sexual consent

No abstract available

Sexual consent perceptions of a fictional vignette: a latent growth curve model

Sexual consent can be conceptualized as a process of accumulating cues that build toward and continue throughout a consensual sexual encounter. How people perceive the cues of others during this process is an important aspect of consent. However, previous research has not investigated the trajectories of people’s consent perceptions throughout such a process. Using a novel staggered vignette protocol, we examined participants’ (N = 1218; 64.4% female) perceptions of fictional targets’ sexual consent at 11 time points. We tested latent growth curve models using multilevel structural equation modeling to examine trajectories in consent perceptions over the course of the vignette. We hypothesized that mean differences and rates of change would be associated with several constructs relevant to sexual consent. We found that initial consent perceptions and trends over the course of the vignette varied by whether the participant was a university student, by an alcohol manipulation in the vignette, by the fictional target’s sex, and by type of sexual behavior. Researchers should examine whether our findings on consent perceptions of a fictional vignette extend to people’s actual sexual encounters, including potential associations between the three primary aspects of sexual consent: perceptions, feelings, and communication

Fear of abandonment, borderline personality features, and attitudes regarding Intimate Partner Victimization

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is characterized by unstable interpersonal relationships and frantic efforts to avoid abandonment (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Intimate partner victimization (IPV) is overrepresented within the romantic relationships of those with BPD and also affects them more negatively (Bouchard, Sabourin, Lussier, & Villeneuve, 2009). However, on the individual level, there may also be a particular mechanism by which people with BPD are more often victimized by their romantic partners (Few & Rosen, 2005). The aspect of BPD that best explains this association is potentially its hallmark diagnostic criterion—fear of abandonment. This study attempted to induce feelings of insecurity about one’s romantic relationship—using a false feedback manipulation—to see if this prime leads to attitudes more tolerant of sexual coercion from a romantic partner, which is a risk factor for intimate partner victimization. Participants were randomly told that they match poorly or highly with their partners. Participants higher in BPD features reported more tolerant attitudes toward sexual coercion. Moreover, there may be a significant interaction between BPD traits and condition. Those in the poorly matched condition expressed more tolerant attitudes toward sexual coercion the higher their borderline features; this association was not present in the highly matched condition. Follow-up analyses investigated various motivations for and approaches to sexual behavior. It appears that those higher in borderline features in the poorly matched condition use sexual behavior to avoid losing their partner or having conflict with their partner

Gender and racial/ethnic disparities in rates of publishing and inclusion in scientific-review processes

Sexism and racism in academia have contributed to women and people of color being underrepresented at increasing levels of the academic hierarchy. We investigated whether people with socially marginalized identities experience disparities regarding rates of publishing and inclusion in the scientific-review process. Using a sample of academics in psychology departments at research-focused universities in the United States (n = 885), we found gender disparities for PhD holders and racial/ethnic disparities for graduate students. Specifically, female PhD holders and graduate students of color reported fewer publications and were less likely to be included in the scientific-review process compared with male PhD holders and White graduate students, respectively. Differences in research activity by gender and race/ethnicity in a contemporary sample of psychologists reflected a 'leaky pipeline' that persists in psychology department

Momentary versus retrospective reports of alcohol or cannabis use, sexual activity, and their co-occurrence

Objective: Comparing people’s momentary and retrospective reports of substance use and sexual activity can illuminate discrepant recall biases across these behaviors. Extant research suggests that people tend to underreport alcohol use on retrospective surveys and overreport sexual activity. We provided an updated account of these biases, extending previous work by looking at alcohol- and cannabis-involved sexual activity as well as potential gender differences in recall biases. Method: Using a sample of adults (n = 110; 58.2% women), we administered surveys three times a day for 28 days to measure momentary alcohol and cannabis use, sexual activity, and substance-involved sexual activity. At the end of this momentary assessment, participants completed a retrospective survey assessing how frequently they engaged in these behaviors during the 28-day period. Results: We compared participants’ momentary reports—which were scaled to account for compliance rates—and retrospective surveys. While there were no significant differences in momentary and retrospective reports of alcohol or cannabis use, participants reported higher rates of sexual activity and alcohol- or cannabis-involved sexual activity on the retrospective surveys than the momentary reports. Effect sizes for significant differences were medium to large (Cohen’s d: .26–.67). Conclusions: Alcohol- and cannabis-involved sexual activity tend to be overreported on retrospective surveys, and preliminary findings suggest that these recall biases may vary by gender. Researchers interested in the co-occurrence of substance use and sexual activity should be aware of this potential random error and consider how to reduce recall biases based on method of data collection

Effects of typical and binge drinking on sexual consent perceptions and communication

Young adults frequently engage in sexual activity after consuming alcohol and, consequently, may try to communicate sexual consent while intoxicated. We aimed to assess how people’s drinking behaviors relate to their consent perceptions and communication with their current sexual partners. Using aggregated data from a 30-day daily diary study, young adults (n = 86, 77.9% women, 86% in a monogamous relationship) reported instances of partnered sexual activity and their perceptions of whether that activity was consensual. For each partnered sexual event, participants reported what they said or did to perceive the sexual activity as consensual. Responses were coded as active consent communication (i.e., using verbal or nonverbal cues) or tacit knowledge (i.e., using context to understand consent). During an exit survey, participants retrospectively reported how many days they drank (i.e., typical drinking) during the 30-day study and whether they binge drank. Typical and binge drinking were associated with identifying sexual experiences as consensual. Participants who binge drank relied less on active consent communication and more on context compared with those who did not binge drink. Young adults who binge drink may rely more on tacit knowledge because alcohol impedes their ability to process complex stimuli—such as active consent cues

Inequalities in health complaints: 20-year trends among adolescents in Scotland, 1998–2018

This study examined trends in inequalities in health complaints among early adolescents in Scotland from 1998 to 2018. We analysed data from the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) survey conducted in Scotland in 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014 and 2018. A self-report questionnaire was administered in schools to a nationally representative sample of 11-, 13-, and 15-year-olds (n = 29,250). Health complaints were measured using a scale comprising four psychological symptoms (feeling low, feeling nervous, irritability and sleep difficulties) and four somatic symptoms (headache, backache, stomachache and dizziness). Socio-economic status was measured using the Family Affluence Scale. Between 1998 and 2018, there were significant increases in the proportion of girls and boys reporting feeling low, feeling nervous, sleep difficulties and backache. Prevalence of the eight individual health complaints was higher among girls and adolescents from lower affluence families. Socio-economic inequalities increased over time, such that declines in mental health were greatest among low affluence adolescents. The data show worsening trends in health complaints among Scottish adolescents between 1998 and 2018, particularly for girls and adolescents from low affluence families. Increasing inequalities in mental health highlight the need to address the underlying social and structural determinants of adolescent mental health

Compliance with COVID-19 rules on intimate physical contact between households

No abstract available