The development and validation of a novel paradigm for assessing
sexual violence risk perception in MSM!
!
Sexual violence (SV) is a significant problem for sexual minorities, including men who have sex with men
(MSM). The limited research in this area suggests SV is associated with a host of syndemic conditions such as
alcohol and drug use, mental health issues, and sexual risk behaviors. These factors tend to cluster and
interact to worsen each of the other conditions. Unfortunately, while much work has been conducted to
examine these factors in heterosexual women, there is lack of research examining MSM, especially their ability
to perceive the potential for SV risk. Further, MSM are active users of dating and sexual network (DSN)
applications and this technology has demonstrated usefulness for creating safe spaces for MSM to meet and
engage sexual and romantic partners. However, there is mounting data demonstrating that DSN app use is
associated with increased risk for SV, especially given the higher likelihood of using alcohol and other drugs
before sex. On the other hand, some researchers have demonstrated that DSN technology can be harnessed
as a prevention tool for HIV; unfortunately, no such work has progressed with regard to SV. As such, the
current project will use qualitative and quantitative methods to tailor an existing laboratory analogue of SV risk
perception in women to be used with MSM. This paradigm will be subjected to a rigorous validation study to
confirm its usefulness in predicting risk for SV, with the potential for use in future prevention endeavors,
including alcohol administration protocols. During the first year of the project, a computer scientist will create
the initial DSN app (“G-Date”) and incorporate ongoing feedback about the usability, feasibility, and realism of
this research tool from a representative sample of MSM. The initial risk cues embedded in the paradigm will
include individual and relationship-level risk factors for SV perpetration that include: Alcohol/drug use,
masculinity-related factors, and minority stress, including internalized homophobia. During the second and third
years of the project, MSM will engage an experimental study to determine the content, concurrent, and
predictive validity of this novel laboratory paradigm. In short, we will evaluate whether certain correlates of SV
(e.g., history of SV, alcohol and drug use) affect the ability of MSM to detect risk for SV within the G-Date
paradigm and in the “real world.” It is hoped that G-Date will not only assist the understanding of factors
associated with SV risk, but also serve as a useful step in creating tools to enhance prevention efforts in this
susceptible population. Given the goals of the R15 mechanism, student RAs will play an active role in all
participant recruitment, focus group development and delivery, paradigm development, and experimental
evaluation, as well as presentation and publication of the findings. RAs will receive mentoring from experts in
SV, alcohol, sexual minority health, software engineering, and qualitative/quantitative research methods, which
will prepare them for careers in in their respective fields.
