The mixed company they keep: Potentially offensive sexual behaviours among adolescents

Abstract

This study investigated the incidence and tolerance of potentially offensive sexual behaviours in relation to the gender composition of adolescents’ friendship networks. High-school students (Grades 8 and 11) self-reported on the Sexual Experiences Questionnaire—High School and on the Social Network Form. Adolescents whose friendship network included a relatively greater proportion of other-sex friends tended to be those who experienced some form of potentially offensive sexual behaviours. However, tolerance (i.e., lack of upset) of these behaviours was not related to the gender composition of the friendship network. Moderate behaviours were perpetrated mostly by boys to both sexes, whereas severe behaviours were perpetrated by other-sex peers. The discussion addresses how sexual harassment in adolescence might be conceptualised.

Dimensions of Peer Sexual Harassment in Swedish High Schools: What Factor Structures Show the Best Fit to Girls' and Boys' Self-Reports?

“…Compared to the other factor analytic studies of peer sexual harassment in schools (Dahinten, 2001(Dahinten, , 2003Lacasse et al, 2003;McMaster et al, 2002), the structure developed in this study-for the girls, although not for the boys-was somewhat compatible with the severity differentiation in Lacasse's data. In addition, in the verbal/symbolic factor all three items corresponded to similar items in Dahinten's gender harassment factor, and the two items in the direct physical contact factor corresponded to two similar items included in Dahinten's sexual advances/imposition factor.…”

“…A further aim was to use the data to develop models with the best fit. The results are discussed in relation to results from similar studies (Dahinten, 2001(Dahinten, , 2003Lacasse et al, 2003;McMaster et al, 2002).…”

“…It is not clear from the above efforts what the measurable stable dimensions of school sexual harassment are or to what extent the factors identified in research on adult workplaces are applicable (Dahinten, 2003;Hand & Sanchez, 2000;Lacasse et al, 2003;McMaster et al, 2002). The most prominent and validated sexual harassment classifications and instruments, such as those of Fitzgerald and Gruber, are based on data from samples of adult women Gruber, 1992).…”

“…In her study of students in grades 8 and 11, Lacasse performed an exploratory factor analysis of data from administration of the Sexual Experiences Questionnaire-High School version (SEQ-HS), which was directly adapted from Fitzgerald's questionnaire, and identified two factors-moderate and severe sexual harassment-both of which differed from Fitzgerald's original model Lacasse et al, 2003). McMaster, in a confirmatory factor analysis of her data from grades 6 to 8, found support for a nested model with a general sexual harassment factor and two specific factors: same sex and other sex harassment (McMaster et al, 2002).…”

“…Continuing efforts to improve the theoretical construct and measurement tools, so as to enable valid and comparable scientific research, are therefore imperative (Fineran & Bennett, 1998;Fitzgerald et al, 1995;Mazzeo, Bergman, Buchanan, Drasgow, & Fitzgerald, 2001;Stark, Chernyshenko, Lancaster, Drasgow, & Fitzgerald, 2002). Most recently, McMaster, Lacasse, and Dahinten included a structural approach in their analysis of the students' data (Dahinten, 2001(Dahinten, , 2003Lacasse, Purdy, & Mendelson, 2003;McMaster, Connolly, Pepler, & Craig, 2002). They used different questionnaires and definitions in their studies, and found different structures, which will be discussed further in this article.…”