Self-efficacy, self-determination and victim blaming as predictors of adolescent sexual victimization

Attitudinal constructs hypothesized to be related to sexual victimization were assessed as part of a baseline survey on adolescent dating violence. Subjects were eighth and ninth graders in 14 schools in a rural school district in North Carolina. A follow-up survey was completed 6 months later. Girls who had not reported forced sexual activity at baseline (A 7 = 732) were assessed to determine whether forced sexual activity during the intervening 6 months was predicted by levels of self-efficacy, self-determination or victim blaming at baseline. Results indicate that levels of self-efficacy, but not selfdetermination or victim blaming, predict the likelihood of experiencing forced sexual activity in this adolescent female population. Recommendations are made for the inclusion of components promoting self-efficacy development in sexual assault prevention programs for females in this age group.