“What would the neighbors do?” Measuring sexual and domestic violence prevention social norms among youth and adults

Abstract

There is growing attention to how social processes in communities may contribute to domestic and sexual violence (DSV) and be a target for prevention efforts. Three main variables are collective efficacy and descriptive and injunctive norms. To date, few measures exist that assess these variables in the specific context of violence prevention. The current study sampled 3,866 adults and high‐school youth in four communities in northern New England. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses examined the psychometrics of the scales. Scales reflecting collective efficacy, indirect public, and direct individualized descriptive norms, public and personal injunctive norms, and youth perceptions of adults’ prevention actions demonstrated robust factor structures and adequate reliability and validity. These measures may prove useful for a diverse audience (e.g., practitioner, researchers) for assessing the effectiveness of community‐level DSV prevention strategies.

Perceptions of Community Norms and Youths’ Reactive and Proactive Dating and Sexual Violence Bystander Action

“…Our measure of perceptions that adults in town would help a DSV victim included two statements adapted from previously validated items from Banyard, Moynihan, Cares, and Warner () and also validated using this sample (Banyard, Edwards, & Rizzo, in press). The statements were: “Comfort a teen who is a victim of domestic violence or sexual assault?” and “Try to get help for a teen who is being sexually, physically, or psychologically abusive toward another teen?” Internal reliability for these items was high (Cronbach's α = .81).…”

“…We assessed youth perceptions that adults in town would take steps to prevent DSV from happening in the first place via three items adapted from Banyard et al. () and validated using the present sample (Banyard, Edwards, et al., ). A sample item was: “Talk to other people about how to have healthy relationships?” Items were averaged to create a single indicator of town adult preventive helping.…”

“…Our measure of perceptions that adults in town would take steps to de‐escalate DSV situations included four statements adapted from previously validated items from Banyard et al. () and validated in the present sample (Banyard, Edwards, et al., ). A sample item is “Verbally tell a couple who is in a physical fight to stop fighting.” Items were averaged to create a single indicator of town adult responsive helping.…”

“…Our measure of perceptions that people in their community demonstrate disapproval of DSV included five statements adapted from previously validated items from McDonnell, Burke, Gielen, O'Campo, and Weidl () and Carlson and Worden (), and also validated by our research team using this sample (Banyard, Edwards, et al., ). Sample items include “In [Town] people will go out of their way to help someone who experienced domestic violence or sexual assault,” and “In [Town] people will talk to young people they know about respect and healthy relationships.” Items were averaged to create a single indicator of individual‐oriented action descriptive norms.…”

“…Our measure of perceptions that people in their community support local organizations, events, or engage in activities designed to prevent DSV included two statements adapted from previously validated items from McDonnell et al. () and Carlson and Worden () and also validated by our research team using this sample (Banyard, Edwards, et al., ). The items were “In [Town] people will give money to or support local events hosted by the domestic violence and sexual assault crisis center,” and “In [Town] people will organize some type of event that raises awareness about domestic violence and sexual assault.” Internal reliability for these items was high (Cronbach's α = .73).…”