Exploring Sex-Based Differences Among Adolescent Perpetrators of Sexual Violence: A Test of General Strain Theory

Abstract

Using data from the 2022 Minnesota Student Survey ( N = 85,004), this study applies multivariate logistic analyses for rare events to understand better sexual violence committed by adolescents from a general strain theory perspective. Informed by this theory, measures of unmet goals, loss of positive stimuli, and exposure to negative stimuli were used to develop multivariate logistic models that were examined to improve our empirical understanding of adolescent perpetration of sexual violence. The study also investigates whether sex-based differences exist among perpetrators. Results indicate that older adolescents and males were more likely to perpetrate sexual violence, with various forms of strain increasing the risk of perpetration as well as demonstrating slightly similar effects across sexes.