School Climate, Gender, Context, and Consequences: Effectively Addressing Middle School Sexual Harassment at School

• In Event: Peer Relationships, Victimization, and Adjustment

Abstract

This longitudinal mixed method study of middle school students examines individual, peer, and school climate influences on sexual harassment (SH) victimization. Student interviews offered examples of what we would define as SH but did not themselves define it as such. Teacher-related and peer-related factors were an overarching theme in school climate. Longitudinal multilevel growth modeling was used to analyze the survey data. Results found support for most of our main effects. A significant interaction was found between dismissive attitudes and school belonging on SH victimization. Despite the pervasive problem of sexual harassment victimization, to date no longitudinal, mixed method study has considered associations between school belonging, caring, friend social support, and dismissive attitudes about sexual harassment.

Authors

• Ashleigh Jones, University of Illinois

• Gabriel Joey Merrin, University of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign

• Linda Charmaraman, Wellesley Centers for Women

• Dorothy L. Espelage, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign