DOI: 10.3886/icpsr37914
title: Longitudinal Cohort Study of Interpersonal Violence Among College-Aged Men and Women, United States, 2019-2020
title: Archival Version

description: The extent and consequences of various forms of interpersonal violence (IV) among college-aged persons has been well-documented. This study sought to examine how IV might differ between young adults who go to college compared to those that do not go to college. To better understand the risks for, experiences with, and consequences of IV among young adults, in fiscal year 2016, the National Institute for Justice (NIJ) made an award to Westat to fund the planning phase of a longitudinal study to research the victimization and violence experienced by college-aged individuals. The planning phase was designed to produce a comprehensive plan to conduct a generalizable, longitudinal study examining long-term trajectories of risk for, experiences with, and recovery after experiencing violence and victimization among college-aged individuals. This pilot study was the result of this planning phase. The major variables in this study contained information regarding sexual assault and rape, dating violence, stalking, violence committed by peers, and violence committed by strangers, as well as demographic variables such as participant age, gender, and race.
description: The extent and consequences of various forms of interpersonal violence (IV) among college-aged persons has been well-documented. This study sought to examine how IV might differ between young adults who go to college compared to those that do not go to college. To better understand the risks for, experiences with, and consequences of IV among young adults, in fiscal year 2016, the NIJ made an award to Westat to fund the planning phase of a longitudinal study to research the victimization and violence experienced by college-aged individuals, including sexual assault and rape, dating violence, stalking, violence committed by peers, and violence committed by strangers. The planning phase was designed to produce a comprehensive plan to conduct a generalizable, longitudinal study examining long-term trajectories of risk for, experiences with, and recovery after experiencing violence and victimization among college-aged individuals. Westat and its partners--Drs. Amy Slep, Richard Heyman, and Michael Lorber of New York University, and Dr. Bonnie Fisher of the University of Cincinnati-- designed the key elements for the larger study, which included: (1) a complete plan for measuring IV (to include risk factors associated with and responses to experiences of IV; (2) the recommended study design; (3) recruitment and retention methods; (4) mode of survey administration; (5) data weighting and estimation; and (6) analysis, reporting and dissemination plans. This Invitation to Apply for Funding was used to conduct a comprehensive pilot test of these key study elements to provide information and direction to the larger study, especially around sampling, recruitment, and retention of study participants, measurement of IV, and mode of survey delivery. To this end, the pilot was designed as a full evaluation of the proposed study design. It was designed to cover the following five topics:(1) evaluation of the sample frame, (2) recruitment of respondents, (3) maintaining contact with recruits; (4) administering the baseline survey; and (5) micro-assessments. The ultimate goal of the pilot study was to plan for the larger study and to meet NIJ's goal of understanding the long-term trajectories of risk for, experiences with, and recovery after, experiencing (or perpetrating) violence and victimization among young adults.
description: Participants for this study were chosen using a national probability sample of the United States and were recruited by mail. Once enrolled in the study, participants completed a series of web-based surveys. After being recruited to the study, participants were instructed to complete an online recruitment survey. Participants filled out a consent form in which they were asked their date of birth, with those younger than 18 years of age being denied entry to the survey. The survey was designed to take 15 minutes to complete and participants were rewarded with an Amazon gift card upon submitting the survey. Later on in the study, participants were invited to complete the Wave 1 Survey. This survey was administered online only, and invitations were sent via email and text message. Respondents were sent two reminders after the initial invitation. The survey was available for 1 month following the initial invitation. Six months after completion of the Wave 1 Survey, all Wave 1 respondents were invited to complete the Wave 2 Survey. The contents of the Wave 2 Survey were nearly identical to the Wave 1 Survey. The same protocol for reminders as in the Wave 1 Survey was followed. Between the Wave 1 and Wave 2 Surveys, participants were administered short micro-assessments to garner more information and to increase engagement and retention from the participants.
description: The Recruitment Survey dataset contains four main sections: (1) respondent demographics, (2) internet and social media, (3) lifetime victimization and perpetration, and (4) lifestyle and values. The victimization and perpetration section of the survey includes specific questions on intimate partner violence, stalking, and nonconsensual sexual contact. The Wave 1 Survey dataset contains information on respondent demographics, psychological and social risk and protective factors, and past 6-month participant victimization and perpetration of interpersonal violence, stalking, and nonconsensual sexual contact. The Wave 2 Survey dataset is nearly identical to the Wave 1, with slight changes made to questions on respondent demographic and relationship status. The Micro-Assessment dataset includes information about participant victimization and perpetration, which includes intimate partner violence, stalking, and nonconsensual sexual contact.
description: Weighting information is available in the User Guide.
description: Response Rates: The unweighted response rate for Wave 1 was 64.5%. The unweighted response rate for Wave 2, which only included Wave 1 participants, was 90.9%.
description: Presence of Common Scales: None
description: The participants for this study were selected using a national probability sample of 18 year olds.
description: Datasets: DS0: Study-Level Files DS1: Micro-Assessment Data DS2: Recruitment Survey Data DS3: Wave 1 Survey Data DS4: Wave 2 Survey Data
description: A nationally representative sample of 18 year-olds from the United States. Smallest Geographic Unit: None
description: web-based survey