Peer Sexual Harassment Victimization Scale

Abstract

The Peer Sexual Harassment Victimization Scale (PSHVS) is a psychological instrument designed to quantify the frequency and impact of behaviors constituting peer sexual harassment among youth. It is comprised of 15 specific behavioral items, 14 of which were derived from the foundational American Association of University Women (AAUW) studies conducted in 1993 and 2001. The scale focuses on objective reporting of behavioral incidents rather than subjective perceptions of harassment. Furthermore, the PSHVS is structured to differentiate between same-gender and cross-gender harassment incidents and measures the resulting emotional distress and specific reactions experienced by the participants. Initially administered to 9th graders, the scale is suitable for use with older high school students and undergraduates.

Keywords

Peer sexual harassment, Victimization, Adolescent psychology, Sexual misconduct, High school students, Psychometric scale, Gender differences, AAUW, Cross-gender harassment, Same-gender harassment

Authors

Jennifer Petersen, Janet Shibley Hyde

Purpose

The primary purpose of the Peer Sexual Harassment Victimization Scale is threefold: first, to accurately assess the frequency and nature of exposure to incidents of peer sexual harassment victimization among adolescent and young adult populations. Second, the scale provides a systematic method for distinguishing between harassment perpetrated by peers of the same gender and those of the cross-gender. Third, the instrument seeks to document the specific emotional and psychological reactions experienced by victims following these harassing behaviors, providing a comprehensive measure of impact beyond mere frequency.

By focusing on specific behaviors rather than general perceptions, the scale aims to provide actionable data for researchers and educators studying the prevalence and effects of hostile educational environments related to sexual misconduct among students.

Construct

The PSHVS measures the construct of Peer Sexual Harassment Victimization, defined operationally by exposure to a set of 15 distinct, potentially harassing sexual behaviors perpetrated by peers during the past school year. The scale employs a multidimensional approach to measurement, assessing not only the frequency of these behaviors but also two critical moderator variables: the victim’s level of upset or distress caused by the incident, and the gender of the perpetrator relative to the victim. This design allows for the calculation of total harassment frequency, a total upset score, and specific frequencies of same-gender and cross-gender victimization.

The 15 behaviors cover a range of actions, from verbal abuse (e.g., “Made sexual comments, jokes, gestures, or looks”) and reputational harm (e.g., “Spread sexual rumors about you”) to physical contact (e.g., “Touched, grabbed, or pinched you in a sexual way”) and coercion. Notably, one item, “called you a slut or a whore,” was specifically included based on pilot research to capture behaviors commonly perpetrated by girls toward female victims, enhancing the scale’s sensitivity to gender-specific harassment dynamics.

Validity

Detailed information regarding the construct validity and overall scale formation is reported within the extensive studies conducted by the American Association of University Women (AAUW). The core structure and behavioral items of the PSHVS (14 out of 15 items) were derived directly from the large-scale, authoritative AAUW research on sexual harassment in schools published in 1993 and updated in 2001, providing a strong foundation for content validity based on established sociological and psychological definitions of peer harassment.

Researchers interested in the specific empirical evidence supporting the scale’s construct validity are directed to the original AAUW documentation, specifically the publications Hostile Hallways: Bullying, teasing, and sexual harassment in school (1993 and 2001).

Reliability

The internal consistency of the Peer Sexual Harassment Victimization Scale is high. The calculated Cronbach’s alpha coefficient for the 15 harassing behaviors is .87, indicating strong reliability for the overall measure of behavioral frequency.

Furthermore, the test-retest reliability for the original set of behaviors (as assessed by the AAUW studies upon which the PSHVS is based) demonstrated excellent stability over time, reporting a correlation coefficient of .95. This suggests that the scale consistently measures the underlying construct of behavioral victimization across repeated administrations.

Factor Analysis

The source documentation does not explicitly detail a formal factor analysis (e.g., Exploratory or Confirmatory Factor Analysis) for the 15-item scale as a new instrument by Petersen and Hyde. However, given that 14 of the items are drawn directly from the established AAUW studies, the underlying dimensionality would likely align with the factor structure validated in those foundational reports.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-report measure; Assessment of behavioral victimization and emotional distress.

Format: 15 core items, each followed by multiple sub-questions concerning frequency, upset level, perpetrator gender, and specific reactions.

Language Available: English (as presented in the source material).

Population Group: Youth and young adults (Adolescents and College Students).

Age Group: Typically 14 to 22 years old (ranging from 9th graders to undergraduates).

Population Details: Originally validated on a sample of 9th graders. Applicable to high school and undergraduate student populations.

Test Methodology: Can be administered via standard paper-and-pencil questionnaire. However, the authors strongly recommend using Computer-Assisted Interviewing (CAI) to enhance anonymity, which encourages more accurate and honest reporting of sensitive incidents, and to facilitate conditional skip logic for follow-up questions.

Administration Time: Approximately 15 minutes.

Keywords

Psychometrics, Scale development, Adolescent mental health, School environment, Test-retest reliability, Cronbach’s alpha, Scoring procedures, Computer-assisted interviewing, Sexual violence prevention

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Not provided in source content.

Affiliation Email addresses: [email protected] (Jennifer Petersen, University of Wisconsin-Madison)

Correspondence Address: Jennifer Petersen, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Psychology Dept., 1202 W. Johnson St., Madison, WI 53706.

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

Permissions: Information regarding specific usage permissions or licensing fees is not detailed in the source material. Researchers should contact the corresponding author, Jennifer Petersen, for current usage guidelines.

Fee: Not specified.

Test Year: Developed and utilized based on AAUW research from 1993 and 2001. The specific iteration by Petersen and Hyde was likely developed shortly after 2001.

Reference’s

• American Association of University Women Educational Foundation (AAUW). (1993). Hostile hallways: Bullying, teasing, and sexual harassment in school. New York: Harris/Scholastic Research.
• American Association of University Women Educational Foundation (AAUW). (2001). Hostile hallways: Bullying, teasing, and sexual harassment in school. New York: Harris/Scholastic Research.

Items of the Peer Sexual Harassment Victimization Scale

IMPORTANT: The following scale items must be preserved in their original language and must not be changed in any way.

Participant ID       Gender: M F

Below are some things that sometimes happen to kids at school. In the PAST SCHOOL YEAR how often did kids do these things to you? Circle your response.

1. Made sexual comments, jokes, gestures, or looks.

Never Once A Few Times Several Times 1a. If more than “Never,” how upset were you by this?

Not at all Upset Somewhat Upset Very Upset 1b. The main time this happened, who did it to you?

A Girl A Boy Group of Girls Group of Boys Group of Boys and Girls

1. c. How did this make you feel? (check all that apply)

Less sure of yourself/less confident

Confused about who you are

Doubt whether you have what it takes to graduate

Doubt whether you have what it takes to continue after graduation

Doubt whether you can have a happy relationship

Angry

Powerless

Flattered

Normal

Guilty/ashamed

Dirty

Self-conscious Embarrassed Afraid/scared

1. Showed, gave, or left you sexual pictures, photographs, illustrations, messages, or notes.
2. Spread sexual rumors about you.
3. Said you were gay or lesbian.
4. Flashed or “mooned” you.
5. Touched, grabbed, or pinched you in a sexual way.
6. Intentionally brushed up against you in a sexual way.
7. Pulled off or down your clothing.
8. Forced you to kiss him or her.
9. Forced you to do something sexual other than kissing.
10. Called you a slut or whore.
11. Stared at a sexual part of your body.
12. Said something bad would happen to you if you did not engage in sexual relations.
13. Pulled at your clothing in a sexual way.
14. Blocked your way or cornered you in a sexual way.

The response options following this statement section are repeated for each of the remaining items.