Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #106097

Eric R. Buhi, MPH, Department of Health and Kinesiology, Texas A&M University, 158 Read, College Station, TX 77843-4243, 979-458-0097, buhi@neo.tamu.edu

A number of public health education and school-based prevention programs address sexual violence by focusing on changing participants' attitudes and beliefs about rape and rape myths. However, there are many problems in the literature regarding the measurement of rape myth acceptance. These include issues of reliability and validity. In the present review, reliability reporting practices of studies utilizing the Burt Rape Myth Acceptance Scale were assessed. Less than half of the 68 articles reviewed provided reliability coefficients for the actual data collected. Almost one-third of the studies made no mention of reliability. Examples of acceptable reliability reporting are provided. It is argued that reliability coefficients for the data actually being analyzed should always be assessed and reported when interpreting program results. Implications of current reliability reporting practices on the field of public health and on the prevention of sexual violence are discussed.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant in this session will be able to

• Describe reliability reporting practices in the sexual violence/rape myth literature;
• Identify appropriate reliability reporting practices; and
• Discuss possible implications for public health research and prevention related related to reliability reporting.

Keywords: Public Health Research, Statistics

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.