Prospective Predictors of Technology-Based Sexual Coercion by College Males

Objective: Technology-based coercive behavior (TBC) represents an emerging public health problem. This study contributes to the literature by identifying prospective individual-, social-, and community-level predictors of TBC. Method: Data were collected from 795 men who participated in a prospective study on attitudes and behaviors regarding relationships with women. Variables across multiple ecological layers were used to predict TBC. Results: Bivariate analyses indicated that most all of the assessed risk variables across all three ecological domains significantly predicted TBC. Multivariate regression analyses indicated five variables uniquely accounted for TBC behaviors, including rape supportive beliefs, peer approval of forced sex, number of sexual partners, exposure to pornography, and participation in student government. Conclusions: Our findings that TBC can be prospectively predicted by these risk factors suggest that computer-based technology interventions focusing on these factors through social network ads that promote reflection on healthy social and romantic relationship behaviors and attitudes could help prevent and reduce TBC.