SEXUAL COERCION AND WELL-BEING IN YOUNG ADULTHOOD - COMPARISONS BY GENDER AND COLLEGE STATUS

This study examined the associations between sexual coercion and well- being (angel; coping, depressed mood self-esteem social anxiety, and s ocial isolation) based on gender and college enrollment. Participants were 872 women and 527 men, ages 19 through 22 years. Women were more likely than men to report having experienced sexual coercion. In addit ion noncollege women were more likely than college women to report hav ing experienced rape and sexual abuse. Participants who reported exper iencing sexual coercion had poorer social and psychological adjustment . The effect of coercion on well-being did not differ for college and noncollege young adults. Type of sexual coercion (no coercion, pressur e, and violent coercion) related to adjustment differentially for wome n and men. Pressured women had lower well-being scores than either wom en who were not coerced or violently coerced In contrast, violently co erced men had lower scores for well-being than either pressured men or men who were nor coerced.