Masculine Ideology and College Men's Reactions to a Sexual Assault Prevention Program

Abstract

Sexual assault in the United States continues to be a major societal problem which often results in serious long-term consequences for the survivors, with perpetrators most commonly being men. Sexual assault prevention programs for college men often lack theories to guide the research and demonstrate mixed results. Previous research has demonstrated that more traditional male gender role identity is linked to sexual assault supportive attitudes and behaviors, suggesting that masculine ideology could be a contributing factor to college men?s reactions to a sexual assault prevention program. The purpose of this study was to test a model of how male gender role identity constructs influence college men?s reactions to a sexual assault prevention program through the Elaboration Likelihood Model. Participants were 97 college men, ages 18 to 22. They completed measures of adherence to masculine ideologies, then participated in an hour long sexual assault prevention program focused on bystander prevention, and finally completed measures of central route processing and outcome variables.

Structural equation modeling was used to test a model of how masculine ideologies and central route processing contributed to outcome results. These results indicated that men who adhered to more traditional masculine ideologies were less likely to engage in central route processing, a thoughtful processing of the information provided in the prevention program. Additionally, less adherence to traditional masculinity predicted more behavioral intentions to change as a result of the program and less acceptance of rape myths. More engagement in central route processing also predicted more positive outcomes such as behavioral intentions to change and less rape myth acceptance. Results from hierarchical linear regression analysis indicated that central route processing was more influential on the outcome variables than masculine ideology. Implications for this research include support of sexual assault prevention programs based on the Elaboration Likelihood Model as being potentially effective regardless of the men?s existing masculine ideologies.