A Latent Transition Model of the Effects of a Youth-Led Sexual Violence Prevention Initiative on Victimization and Perpetration Trajectories Over Time

Purpose: Latent transition analysis was used to characterize transitions over time in profiles of victimization and perpetration of sexual and related forms of violence (i.e., bullying, dating violence, sexual harassment) over a 2.5-year period among middle and high school students. We also examined how profiles of violence varied as a function of participation in a youth-led sexual violence prevention initiative (Youth Voices in Prevention [Youth VIP]). Methods: Participants were 2,528 youth (53.3% female, average age = 13.73 years) who completed a survey at five points (every six months) over three academic years (fall 2017–fall 2019). Participation in Youth VIP was tracked by researchers and took place from summer 2018 to fall 2019. Results: Four classes (i.e., low violence class, victimization only class, sexual harassment class, mixed violence class) best captured patterns of victimization and perpetration experiences. The latent transition analysis showed that the least severe class had the highest stability, with the fewest students transitioning out of this class over time. Results also demonstrated that, overall, participation in at least one Youth VIP event, compared to not participating in any Youth VIP events, related to positive transitions over time to less severe classes. Discussion: Violence experienced by youth is not homogenous, although classes of violence among youth are generally stable over a 2.5 period. Results also provide further evidence that Youth VIP is a promising approach to prevent sexual and related forms of violence and appears to promote transition into less severe classes of violence over time.