A pre-post evaluation of the sexual communication and consent training program in united states air force basic military training, 2019-2020

Abstract

This study evaluated the proximal outcomes of the Sexual Communication and Consent program (SCC): a novel, tailored sexual assault (SA) prevention intervention implemented in the United States Air Force Basic Military Training from 2019 to 2020. Trainees received classroom instructor-led training and one of five tablet-delivered interventions that were tailored based on individual SA risk for perpetration, victimization, or revictimization assessed with a screening instrument. Using multilevel regression modeling, we assessed six proximal outcomes of SCC exposure in a sample of 3557 trainees with matched pretest and posttest data, analyzing results for both the overall sample and across the five SCC intervention subgroups. Within the overall sample, participation in SCC was associated with statistically significant increases in SA knowledge, consent knowledge, and self-efficacy to resist unwanted advances and statistically significant decreases in date rape attitudes and, unexpectedly, bystander intentions. Stratified analyses revealed consistent SA knowledge increases across subgroups, whereas consent knowledge and date rape attitudes were only significant in the male Healthy Relationships/Bystander Intervention subgroup. Self-efficacy to resist unwanted advances was significant in all victimization-focused subgroups except male Primary Victimization Prevention. There were no observed changes in protective dating behaviors in the overall sample or any intervention subgroup. Expanding the limited evidence-base of SA prevention programming in the US military, findings highlight the potential for tailored interventions that address SA risk factors for perpetration, victimization, or revictimization, to improve proximal outcomes known to be associated with SA incidence. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.