Date of Thesis

Spring 2025

Description

College women are at a high risk of experiencing sexual misconduct (SM) (Graham et al., 2022). Research shows a connection between sexual victimization and psychological distress (Graham et al., 2022). The lack of research on a broader range of SM and associated mental health outcomes is a lacuna that must be addressed. SM is a widely understudied issue, and approximately 1 in 5 college women will experience it at least once during their time on campus (Muehlenhard et al., 2017). Women are not only at a high risk of experiencing SM during their time in college, but research shows a strong link between sexual victimization and psychological distress (Graham et al., 2022). On university campuses across the US, SM is a pressing issue that impacts many, especially those who identify as women. The present study uses a mixed methods approach to expand on Liz Kelly’s concept of a continuum of SM, where Kelly argued that SM should be regarded as a continuum, not as separate categories (Kelly 1987). A quantitative survey assessed the current prevalence of SM at Bucknell University and its connection to participant trauma responses and mental health. A qualitative interview asked participants to expand on experiences that occurred at Bucknell and or with another Bucknell student. The online survey was administered to a random sample of Bucknell students. Results indicated that rates of SM are higher in women and that victim-survivors experience significantly higher rates of psychological distress than non-victims. The qualitative interview was administered over Zoom to a subsample of students who had taken the survey. Future research should focus on recruiting a larger and more diverse sample.

Keywords

sexual misconduct (SM), continuum of sexual misconduct, psychological distress, sexual victimization, trauma

Access Type

Honors Thesis

Degree Type

Bachelor of Arts

Major

Psychology

Second Major

Art- Studio

Minor, Emphasis, or Concentration

French & Francophone Studies

First Advisor

Bill Flack

Second Advisor

Erica Delsandro

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Psychology Commons

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