| 1. |
- Burén, Jonas, 1984, et al.
(author)
-
What do peers think about sexting? Adolescents' views of the norms guiding sexting behavior
- 2022
-
In: Journal of Adolescent Research. - : SAGE Publications. - 0743-5584 .- 1552-6895. ; 37:2
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This study examined the content of injunctive peer norms (i.e., perceived peer approval) of sexting among Swedish adolescents. Written answers from 808 adolescents (Mage = 14.22) to an open-ended question about peers’ views of sexting were analyzed qualitatively using content analysis. Eight categories were distinguished for when and why sexting is acceptable or not in the peer group. A substantial share of adolescents believed their peers approve of sexting, especially if sexting occurs within trusted relationships and when all parties have consented. A large share of adolescents described that peers were non-accepting of sexting, emphasizing that it can be spread to others. The participants also suggested that sexting is seen as a gendered phenomenon surrounded by sexual double standards, with girls at more risk of negative consequences. Some participants emphasized the peer view that adolescents sext to seek attention, and some emphasized that sexting is viewed as an enjoyable activity. Several of these categories’ likelihood to be mentioned was related to the adolescents’ age, gender, and prior experience of sexting. We concluded that adolescents might have a hard time navigating the social context of sexting, given the conflicting and gendered messages from peers.
|
|
| 2. |
- Holmqvist Gattario, Kristina, 1981, et al.
(author)
-
Embodiment: Cultural and gender differences and associations with life satisfaction
- 2020
-
In: Body Image. - : Elsevier BV. - 1740-1445. ; 35, s. 1-10
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- © 2020 The Authors Although cultural factors have an important impact on individuals’ experiences of living in their bodies, to date no studies have examined cross-cultural or gender differences in individuals’ experience of embodiment. This study compared Swedish and Canadian women's experience of embodiment (and other body image related constructs), as well as Swedish men and women's experience of embodiment. Associations between embodiment, body esteem, and life satisfaction in men and women were also examined. Participants were 302 Swedish women, 242 Swedish men, and 216 Canadian women. Results showed that Swedish women had overall more positive experience of embodiment, more positive body esteem, lower thin-ideal internalization and lower levels of disordered eating than Canadian women. In comparison to Swedish men, however, Swedish women had more negative experience of embodiment in some ways, but similar experience of embodiment in other ways. Although associations between embodiment, body esteem, and life satisfaction were strong, embodiment was a better predictor of life satisfaction than body esteem for both men and women. Results are interpreted through the lens of the developmental theory of embodiment and consider cultural differences between Sweden and Canada, as well as Swedish society's both progress and problems in promoting gender equity.
|
|
| 3. |
- Holmqvist Gattario, Kristina, 1981, et al.
(author)
-
Life after childhood bullying: Body image development and disordered eating in adulthood
- 2020
-
In: International Journal of Behavioral Development. - : SAGE Publications. - 0165-0254 .- 1464-0651. ; 44:3, s. 246-255
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Studies have demonstrated that being bullied in childhood may have long-term associations with lower psychological well-being in adulthood. However, although bullying incidents frequently target the victim’s body and appearance, research has overlooked studying victims’ long-term body image development and risk of engaging in disordered eating later in life. This 14-year longitudinal research project examined childhood bullying in relation to body image development and disordered eating in emerging adulthood. Growth curve analyses of participants’ body image at ages 10–21 years (N = 960) revealed that more victimized children experienced more body dissatisfaction at baseline and maintained their negative body image throughout adolescence and into adulthood. Mediation analyses showed that childhood bullying (age 10 years) predicted more negative body image in adolescence (age 18 years), which in turn predicted more disordered eating in adulthood (age 24 years). The indirect effect was stronger for girls than for boys. The findings suggest that bullied children are likely to face both more body image problems and disordered eating as they evolve through adolescence and into adulthood, indicating the need for early and effective interventions. Incorporating components known to promote a more positive body image could be a valuable feature of future interventions. Thus, as children and adolescents are taught to cope with bullying situations, they could also be helped to deal with the appearance culture that permeates many of these situations.
|
|
| 4. |
|
|
| 5. |
- Holmqvist Gattario, Kristina, 1981, et al.
(author)
-
The Development and Interaction of Peer Victimization and Peer Sexual Harassment in Children Between Ages 10 to 12 Years
- 2023
-
In: European Conference on Developmental Psychology (ECDP) 2023, Turku, Finland.
-
Conference paper (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Background/Aim: The literature concerning children’s experiences of peer victimization uses a plethora of concepts in its theories and measurements, such as peer victimization, peer harassment, peer aggression, or bullying. Yet there is little guidance regarding how these concepts are related to one another. During recent years, peer sexual harassment, including unwanted sexual attention from peers, has been added to the list of concepts, although it is still underexplored among pre-adolescent children. Peer sexual harassment is arguably more specific than peer victimization, and may partly be covered by measures assessing peer victimization. However, there may also be differences in the concepts’ development over time. Whereas peer victimization is most common among pre-pubertal children, peer sexual harassment is often assumed to peak as children reach puberty and interest in sexual behaviors increases. Disentangling how peer victimization and peer sexual harassment develop in relation to one another and over time at a time when many children reach puberty, could help advance the literature regarding these concepts. Hence, the aim of this study was to examine how peer victimization and peer sexual harassment develop and interact over time in children between the ages 10-12 years. Method: The study is based on three-wave questionnaire data collected in the PRISE-project (T1 N = 997, M age = 10.0 years, 48% girls; T2 N = 966; T3 N = 881 [88% of original sample]). Results: Peer sexual harassment increased between ages 10-12 years for both boys and girls, whereas peer victimization increased only for girls. Correlations between peer victimization and peer sexual harassment were strong at baseline (age 10 years; T1: boys r = .60, T1: girls r = .63) but became weaker over time for both boys (T2: r = .58, T3: r = .51) and girls (T2: r = .60; T3: r = .49). A multivariate multigroup LGCM analysis further demonstrated that more peer victimization at baseline was positively related to higher levels of peer sexual harassment at baseline for both boys and girls. For girls only, the slopes between peer victimization and peer sexual harassment were positively related to each other, and higher initial levels of peer sexual harassment were related to a less steep slope of peer victimization. Discussion/Conclusion: The current findings suggest that peer victimization (girls only) and peer sexual harassment become increasingly frequent experiences for children between ages 10-12 years. These experiences were more related to one another when the children were younger and became less related as they grew older, suggesting that the concepts change in relation to one another as many children reach puberty. For girls, peer sexual harassment and peer victimization seem to follow a more similar path than for boys, suggesting that there is more overlap between how the concepts develop among girls. We conclude that the concepts of peer victimization and peer sexual harassment and their development are closely linked to one another, especially for girls; yet, these concepts become more distinct as children grow older potentially reflecting biological, psychological, and social developmental changes.
|
|
| 6. |
- Holmqvist Gattario, Kristina, 1981, et al.
(author)
-
What have we learned about sexual harassment among young people? Concluding reflections.
- 2023
-
In: Journal of Social Issues. - 0022-4537 .- 1540-4560. ; 79:4, s. 1431-1439
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This article contains concluding reflections for a special issue on sexual harassment among young people. In this concluding article, we reflect on the 14 individual papers in the special issue through three cross-cutting themes, each with important implications for policy and practice. The themes highlight that (1) attitudes and norms related to sexual harassment are core to its occurrence among young people, (2) the sexual harassment experiences of minority and otherwise hidden youth need to be heard, and (3) innovative approaches and methods advance the current knowledge about sexual harassment among young people. Furthermore, we stress that school policies against sexual harassment need to be reflected in the behaviors of school personnel and peers, and that both students and teachers need to be equipped with the knowledge and skills to combat sexual harassment. It is our hope that this special issue will be valuable for researchers, the formulation of societal and school policies, and for the design of developmentally informed interventions.
|
|
| 7. |
|
|
| 8. |
- Kling, Johanna, 1986, et al.
(author)
-
Translation and psychometric evaluation of the Experience of Embodiment Scale in a Swedish community sample of young women and men
- 2021
-
In: Body Image. - : Elsevier BV. - 1740-1445. ; 39, s. 259-265
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This report describes a Swedish translation and psychometric evaluation of the Experience of Embodiment Scale (EES; Piran, Teall, & Counsell, 2020), an instrument for assessing a wide range of positive and negative experiences of living in the body. A community sample (N = 545) of Swedish young women (56%) and men (Mage = 24.4; SD = 0.52) completed the Swedish translation of the EES. To explore its construct validity, participants also completed measures of body esteem, disordered eating, internalization of appearance ideals, drive for muscularity and leanness, body mass index, life satisfaction, self-esteem, and psychological distress. Exploratory factor analyses (performed separately for women and men) revealed structures of the Swedish EES similar to those displayed during the development and first evaluations of the scale in North America. However, among men, the factors of agency and sexual desire combined to form one factor. On total scale level, the Swedish EES showed good internal consistency (McDonald's ω = .95 for women; ω = .94 for men), convergent validity, and incremental validity. Overall, the present findings support the Swedish version of the EES and the EES's cross-national use to assess the construct of embodiment, as well as its use among men.
|
|
| 9. |
|
|
| 10. |
- Skoog, Therése, et al.
(author)
-
Special Issue Introduction: Sexual Harassment Among Young People
- 2023
-
In: Journal of Social Issues (JSI). - : Wiley. - 0022-4537 .- 1540-4560. ; 79:4, s. 1113-1122
-
Journal article (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Sexual harassment is a serious and widespread social issue affecting numerous young people across the globe. Sexual harassment is prevalent in many everyday situations and contexts, not least in school. In recent years, public discussions emerging from the seminal #MeToo-movement, have put the adversities of sexual harassment in the academic spotlight. This special issue presents cutting-edge research on sexual harassment among young people from international scholars spanning a variety of perspectives, methodological approaches, and demographic samples. The special issue organizes the individual contributions into four sections, focusing on (1) developmental aspects on sexual harassment, (2) contexts of sexual harassment, (3) sexual harassment among diverse groups of young people, and (4) policies and legislation around sexual harassment. All contributions outline social policy and social intervention implications of their findings. Hopefully, the special issue will inspire future efforts to study and combat sexual harassment among young people.
|
|
| 11. |
- Valik, Andrea, 1987, et al.
(author)
-
Characteristics of peer sexual harassment in late childhood: What, where, who and how often?
- 2020
-
In: European Association for Research on Adolescence (EARA) 2020 (Online) Conference - Adolescence in a rapidly changing world, held in Porto, Portugal, from 2nd to 5th September 2020.
-
Conference paper (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Background: Peer sexual harassment (PSH), or unwanted sexual attention, is highly prevalent in mid-adolescence. PSH is assumed to start with puberty, which occurs in early adolescence. However, because research on PSH before puberty is basically non-existent, this assumption is still to be tested empirically. Research question(s): The aim of this study was to examine PSH in late childhood in terms of prevalence (victimization, perpetration, and witnessing), types of PSH, the context of PSH (age and gender of perpetrator, location and bystanders), and victims’ reactions to PSH. Methods: The study is part of the three-year longitudinal PRISE study examining PSH in Swedish middle schools (ages 10-12 years; Skoog et al., 2019). The present results are based on questionnaire data collected at the first and ongoing wave of the study, comprising a sample of 10-year-old boys (n=259) and girls (n=287) from 16 schools. Results: Approximately half of the participants reported PSH victimization at least once during the current semester, a sixth reported PSH perpetration, and two thirds reported witnessing PSH. Exposure to verbal PSH was the most frequent type reported by victims, and especially by boys. PSH most frequently occurred at the schoolyard and the perpetrator was often a same-age boy. Victims reported that other students were the most frequent bystanders of PSH. Victims often reacted to the harassment by not caring about it or telling the perpetrator off. Discussion: PSH, especially verbal forms, is highly prevalent already before the age of puberty. This finding challenges assumptions that PSH typically onsets in adolescence. Boys were more likely than girls to be both victims and perpetrators of (verbal) PSH. That PSH occurs at schoolyards, in the presence of peers, makes room for interpreting, and dealing with, PSH as a group phenomenon. The findings also highlight the need for early prevention against PSH.
|
|
| 12. |
- Valik, Andrea, 1987, et al.
(author)
-
Peer sexual harassment among 10-year-olds: Roles, genders, classroom occurrence, and associations with emotional problems
- 2024
-
In: Journal of Research on Adolescence. - 1050-8392. ; 00, s. 1-15
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This is the first study examining peer sexual harassment among 10-year-olds (N = 985), studying how being a victim, perpetrator, or witness relates to emotional problems, and how these associations are moderated by gender and class occurrence of sexual harassment. Results showed that 45% of the participants reported victimization, 17% perpetration, and 60% witnessing sexual harassment, with vast overlaps between roles. Victimization and witnessing were related to more emotional problems. Victimized girls reported more emotional problems than boys, but girls who perpetrated reported fewer emotional problems than boys. Associations between peer sexual harassment and emotional problems varied across classrooms. Our findings highlight the occurrence of peer sexual harassment in younger ages, emphasizing an ecological perspective when addressing it in school.
|
|
| 13. |
|
|
| 14. |
|
|
| 15. |
- Valik, Andrea, 1987, et al.
(author)
-
PSH-C: A measure of peer sexual harassment among children
- 2023
-
In: Journal of Social Issues. - : Wiley. - 0022-4537 .- 1540-4560. ; 79:4, s. 1123-1146
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Peer sexual harassment among adolescents is a widespread problem worldwide, associated with several adverse outcomes. Although retrospective reports indicate that people's first experience of peer sexual harassment occurs before puberty, research in younger ages is still scarce and measures of peer sexual harassment developed for children are lacking. This study explores the possibility of measuring peer sexual harassment in late childhood by evaluating a new scale of developmentally informed items, the Peer Sexual Harassment Scale-Child (PSH-C), designed to capture peer sexual harassment (i.e., victimization, perpetration, and witnessing) in late childhood (ages 10-12 years) in the school context. Self-report surveys were distributed to 1007 fourth-grade students in Sweden (M age = 10.0 years, SD = .3, n = 516 girls). The PSH-C showed good psychometric properties, supporting the scale's ability to capture peer sexual harassment in late childhood. Exploratory structural equation analyses suggested a two-factor structure which was confirmed by confirmatory factor analyses: 1) direct verbal sexual aggression, and 2) direct physical sexual harassment, verbal comments and jokes, and visual sexual harassment. The division of the structure contradicts previous studies of adolescents, possibly indicating a difference in the peer sexual harassment construct in relation to development and age.
|
|
