Common Acts of Sexual Harassment and Aggression in Drinking Environments Scale (C-SHADE)

Abstract

The Common Acts of Sexual Harassment and Aggression in Drinking Environments Scale (C-SHADE), developed by Graham et al. (2023), is an instrument designed to quantify sexual aggression (SA) perpetrated by men against women within drinking establishments. This tool is crucial for assessing the effectiveness of interventions aimed at reducing sexual aggression. The C-SHADE’s items were derived from detailed observations of common real-life SA incidents in barroom settings by researcher-observers (Graham et al., 2010; Graham, Bernards, Osgood, et al., 2014) and from accounts provided by female targets (Graham et al., 2017). Additionally, descriptions of SA from the broader literature were incorporated (e.g., Becker & Tinkler, 2015; Thompson Jr. & Cracco, 2008). The development prioritized items encompassing the full spectrum of common SA, including physical contact, harassment without physical contact, and persistence after refusal. An important criterion was the inclusion of behaviors directed towards strangers, ensuring the perpetrator’s unawareness of the target’s consent. Validation of the scale was conducted using a sample of self-identified men, aged 19 to 25 years, residing in Canada, who had visited a bar in the six months preceding the COVID-19 pandemic. Factor analysis confirmed a 10-item single-factor structure. The study also reported findings concerning the scale’s reliability and validity.

Keywords

Drinking Environments, Male Female Interaction, Physical Contact, Sexual Aggression Perpetration, Sexual Harassment, Aggressive Behavior, Antisocial Behavior, Male Female Relations, Perpetrators, Sex Offenses, Social Drinking, Social Environments, Antisocial Behavior Measures.

Authors

Kathryn Graham, Sharon Bernards, Antonia Abbey, Charlene Senn, Tara M. Dumas, AnnaLise Trudell, Peter D. Donnelly, Samantha Wells.

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Purpose

The C-SHADE was developed to measure common sexual aggressive behaviors committed by men toward women in drinking venues. This tool is important for evaluating interventions to reduce sexual aggression.

Validity

Convergent Validity: Convergent validity was supported by significant positive relationships between the C-SHADE and other measures known to be related to SA, including peer SA, SA supportive attitudes, greater expectations about the effects of alcohol on sexual behavior, and heavier alcohol consumption. However, the analyses failed to confirm previous research findings of a relationship between frequency of bar-going and SA (Testa & Cleveland, 2017).

Discriminant Validity: Support for discriminant validity was provided by comparing participants who scored positive only on the C-SHADE with those who also scored positive on the General Sexual Aggression—Modified Sexual Experiences Survey (M-SES; Koss et al., 2007).

Reliability

Internal Consistency: The Cronbach’s alpha for the C-SHADE was .96, indicating high internal consistency.

Factor Analysis

A factor analysis of the 10 items provided strong support for a single factor structure, which accounted for 75% of the total variance in the scale.

Instrument

Test Type: Original Rating Scale

Format: Participants are instructed to “Think about times when you were at a bar or club in the 6 months prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. How often have you done anything like what the guy(s) did in each of the following? In all descriptions, both the guy(s) and the girl in their early 20s are at a bar or club and they do not know each other.” They are then presented with a list of sexually aggressive behaviors. Response options include: 5-very often, 4-fairly often, 3-occasionally, 2-rarely, 1-never. The administration method is electronic. This is a 10-item measure.

Language Available: English

Population Group: Human, Male

Age Group: Adulthood (18 years & older), Young Adulthood (18-29 years)

Population Details: The study population was located in Canada and consisted of young adult men aged 19 to 25 years.

Test Methodology: Test Validity, Convergent Validity, Discriminant Validity, Test Reliability, Internal Consistency, Factor Analysis.

Keywords

Drinking Environments, Male Female Interaction, Physical Contact, Sexual Aggression Perpetration, Sexual Harassment.

Authors

Author ORCID Identifiers:

• Graham, Kathryn: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3318-3598

• Abbey, Antonia: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5448-4659

Affiliation:

• Graham, Kathryn: Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Institute for Mental Health Policy Research

• Bernards, Sharon: Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Institute for Mental Health Policy Research

• Abbey, Antonia: Wayne State University, Department of Psychology

• Senn, Charlene: University of Windsor, Department of Psychology/Women’s & Gender Studies

• Dumas, Tara M.: Huron University, Department of Psychology

• Trudell, AnnaLise: Anova

• Donnelly, Peter D.: University of Toronto, Dalla Lana School of Public Health

• Wells, Samantha: Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Institute for Mental Health Policy Research

Email Addresses:

• Graham, Kathryn: [email protected]

Correspondence Address:

Graham, Kathryn: Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Suite 200, 100 Collip Circle, London, Ontario, Canada, N6G 4X8, [email protected]

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

Permissions: Contact Corresponding Author

Commercial: No

Fee: No

Test Year: 2023

References

Graham, K., Bernards, S., Abbey, A., Senn, C., Dumas, T. M., Trudell, A., Donnelly, P. D., & Wells, S. (2023). Development and validation of the C-SHADE Scale for measuring perpetration of common sexually harassing and aggressive behaviors in drinking environments. Alcohol: Clinical and Experimental Research, 47(6), 1191–1203. https://doi.org/10.1111/acer.15087

Items of the Common Acts of Sexual Harassment and Aggression in Drinking Environments Scale (C-SHADE)

No data is Available