Citation

Hudson-Flege MD, Grover HM, Meçe MH, Ramos AK, Thompson MP. J. Am. Coll. Health 2018; ePub(ePub): 1-9.

Affiliation

a Institute on Family & Neighborhood Life, Clemson University , Clemson , South Carolina , USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/07448481.2018.1536055

PMID

30570441

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: This study examined if empathy was a significant moderator of several empirically established risk factors for sexual violence perpetration among college men. PARTICIPANTS: Data are from 544 college men who participated in a longitudinal study from 2008 to 2011 at a large, public university.

METHODS: Participants completed a self-report survey in their first through fourth years in college. A series of generalized linear models were conducted using sexual violence risk factors and empathy during the sophomore year as predictors of sexual violence perpetration frequency during junior year.

RESULTS: Empathy was found to be a significant moderator of six out of the 10 sexual violence risk factors tested, such that high levels of empathy were associated with lower sexual violence perpetration rates among high-risk males.

CONCLUSION: Additional research, including the measurement and evaluation of empathy in implementation of college sexual violence prevention and intervention efforts, should be undertaken.

Language: en

Keywords

Empathy; rape; sexual aggression; sexual violence