GENDER STEREOTYPING, HOMONEGATIVITY, AND MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT SEXUALLY COERCIVE BEHAVIOR AMONG ADOLESCENTS

The purpose of this study was to examine gender stereotyping, homonega tivity, and erroneous beliefs about sexual coercion among adolescents. The researchers distributed 1,124 questionnaires to randomly selected schools in Newfoundland and Labrador for administration to students i n Grades 10 and 12. An analysis of returns (1,045 questionnaires [resp onse rate of 93%]) revealed that (a) male respondents were more likely to endorse gender-stereotypic and homonegative attitudes and were mor e likely to possess erroneous beliefs about sexual coercion than were female respondents; (b) self-reported academic achievement was negativ ely correlated with endorsement of gender stereotypes, homonegativism, and erroneous beliefs about sexual coercion; (c) neither religiosity (operationally defined as frequency of church attendance) nor responde nts' site of residence (urban vs. rural) was associated with endorseme nt of these attitudes; and (d) homonegativism and endorsement of erron eous beliefs about sexual coercion were positively correlated.