TY - JOUR
T1 - Comparing sexual assault prevalence estimates obtained with direct and indirect questioning techniques
AU - Krebs, Christopher P.
AU - Lindquist, Christine H.
AU - Warner, Tara D.
AU - Fisher, Bonnie S.
AU - Martin, Sandra L.
AU - Childers, James M.
PY - 2011/2
Y1 - 2011/2
N2 - Concerns have been expressed about the validity of self-reported data on sexual assault, as victims might be reluctant to disclose what happened to them. In this study, using an anonymous, web-based survey, a sample of 5,446 undergraduate women were asked about their experiences with physically forced sexual assault using both direct and indirect questioning methods. The prevalence of physically forced sexual assault obtained via indirect questioning was slightly higher than, though not substantially or statistically different from, the estimate obtained via direct questioning. The results suggest that either direct questioning yields reasonably valid estimates of the prevalence of sexual assault or that the item count technique does not produce estimates that are any more valid.
AB - Concerns have been expressed about the validity of self-reported data on sexual assault, as victims might be reluctant to disclose what happened to them. In this study, using an anonymous, web-based survey, a sample of 5,446 undergraduate women were asked about their experiences with physically forced sexual assault using both direct and indirect questioning methods. The prevalence of physically forced sexual assault obtained via indirect questioning was slightly higher than, though not substantially or statistically different from, the estimate obtained via direct questioning. The results suggest that either direct questioning yields reasonably valid estimates of the prevalence of sexual assault or that the item count technique does not produce estimates that are any more valid.
KW - indirect questioning
KW - item count
KW - sexual assault
KW - sexual victimization
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=79751490556&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=79751490556&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/1077801210397743
DO - 10.1177/1077801210397743
M3 - Article
C2 - 21307031
AN - SCOPUS:79751490556
SN - 1077-8012
VL - 17
SP - 219
EP - 235
JO - Violence Against Women
JF - Violence Against Women
IS - 2
ER -