A Cross-Cultural Comparison of the Role of Sexual Objectification in the Relationship Between Alcohol Use and Sexual Assault Perpetration.

In this study, we examined how sexual objectification can help explicate the relationship between alcohol use and sexual assault perpetration. Specifically, we examined a mediation and a moderation model. Moreover, given that gender roles and sexual norms vary across cultures, we also examined the structural invariance of the models between a U.S. male (n = 404) and Philippines male (n = 100) college sample. Path analyses were used to examine the mediation and the moderation model, and multiple groups analysis was utilized to examine model differences between samples. Sexual objectification fully mediated the relationship between alcohol use severity and sexual aggression. Furthermore, the mediation model was invariant between the U.S. sample and Philippines sample. A significant alcohol use severity by sexual objectification interaction effect was found for both samples. Simple slopes analysis indicated that alcohol use severity was not associated with sexual aggression among those with high sexual objectification scores. Among men with low sexual objectification scores, alcohol use severity was associated with higher likelihood toward sexual assault. For the Filipino sample, the impact of alcohol consumption on sexual aggression is more pronounced compared with the U.S. sample. Sexual objectification is a key variable in understanding the alcohol use-sexual aggression relationship. Country differences in alcohol use, cultural meanings of Filipino masculinity, and sexual norms and behaviors accounts for noninvariance in the moderation model. Implications for sexual assault reduction programs were also discussed.

Alexithymia, Prior Trauma, Alcohol Use, and Sexual Aggression Perpetration: A Cross-Cultural Comparison of a Moderated Mediation Model.

In this study, we examined the relationships between prior trauma, alexithymia, and sexual aggression perpetration among 610 U.S. college students and 107 college students from the Philippines utilizing a cross-sectional retrospective design. We tested a moderated mediation model with alexithymia as the mediator between prior trauma and sexual aggression perpetration, and alcohol use as a moderator of the alexithymia-sexual aggression link. Moreover, given that cultural norms may influence these relationships, we also examined the structural invariance of the proposed moderated mediation model. Path analyses and multiple group analysis were used to examine the moderated mediation model, and examine model differences between samples. We did not find evidence for alexithymia as a mediator, but there was a significant interaction between alcohol use severity and alexithymia on sexual aggression perpetration across both samples. Alexithymia is a key variable in understanding the alcohol use-sexual aggression perpetration relationship. Clinical implications and recommendations for future research are also discussed.

Toronto Alexithymia Scale-20: Examining 18 Competing Factor Structure Solutions in a U.S. Sample and a Philippines Sample.

The Toronto Alexithymia Scale-20 is arguably the most utilized measure of alexithymia. Although a three-factor solution has been found by numerous studies, these findings are not universal. This article examined and compared 18 competing factor structures for the Toronto Alexithymia Scale-20, which included between one and four correlated latent factor structures, common methods models that accounts for negatively worded items, and bifactor models. Although the two-factor bifactor model with a common methods factor had the better model fit compared with the other 17 models examined, it still did not achieve the requisites of a good model fit across all model fit indices. Issues stemmed primarily from the externally oriented thinking factor and the negatively worded items. Post hoc analyses indicated that a two-factor bifactor model with the negatively worded items dropped achieved the requisites of a good model fit and can be treated as a unidimensional measure despite the presence of multidimensionality. Multiple-group analysis indicated that the factor loadings were invariant across U.S. and Philippines samples. After controlling for noninvariance at the item intercept level, the Philippines sample had a higher alexithymia general score compared with the U.S. sample.

The Desire to Dissociate Scale: factor analysis, cross-cultural findings, and links to substance-induced dissociation.

BACKGROUND: Past research identified that a desire for dissociative experiences, rather than dissociative tendencies, mediate the relationship between early sexual abuse and problem drinking in college students. Desire to dissociate was conceptualized as a mechanism facilitating substance-induced dissociation or the use of substances to achieve dissociative-like experiences and was measured using a modified version of the Dissociative Experiences Scale-II. The validity and cross-cultural generalizability of the modified scale are not yet known. OBJECTIVES: The current study examined the psychometric properties of the modified scale, exploring findings across U.S. and Filipino college samples, and explored how the desire to dissociate construct related to other variables linked to substance-induced dissociation. Methods: Participants were recruited across two U.S. samples and one Filipino sample (N = 2404; 72% female). Instead of asking "how often do you experience" dissociative items, 14-items from the original scale were selected and individuals were asked "how often would you like to experience" items. RESULTS: Results supported the validity of the Desire to Dissociate Scale (DDS) with a bifactor model best fitting the data in U.S. and Filipino samples. The bifactor model identified that the DDS primarily measured a general 'desire to dissociate' factor and two specific factors comprised smaller portions of the variance. DDS scores were positively correlated with trauma-related and alcohol use variables including drinking to cope, variables conceptually consistent with theories of substance-induced dissociation. CONCLUSION: Clinical implications address avoidant coping patterns and differences in specific factor findings between U.S. and Filipino samples.

Factor structure and invariance test of the alcohol use disorder identification test (AUDIT): Comparison and further validation in a U.S. and Philippines college student sample.

The Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test's factor structure varies depending on population and culture. Because of this inconsistency, this article examined the factor structure of the test and conducted a factorial invariance test between a U.S. and a Philippines college sample. Confirmatory factor analyses indicated that a three-factor solution outperforms the one- and two-factor solution in both samples. Factorial invariance analyses further supports the confirmatory findings by showing that factor loadings were generally invariant across groups; however, item intercepts show non-invariance. Country differences between factors show that Filipino consumption factor mean scores were significantly lower than their U.S. counterparts.