Token Resistance to Sex Scale [TRSS-8]

Description

The Token Resistance to Sex Scale (TRSS-8) was developed by Suzanne L. Osman and formally published in 1998. It is a brief eight-item self-report instrument that assesses endorsement of the belief that a woman may verbally refuse a sexual advance while actually wanting the sexual interaction to continue.

The instrument does not evaluate general sexual attitudes or respondents’ actual sexual behavior. It measures a specific dysfunctional belief concerning sexual consent and the interpretation of verbal refusal.

The construct requires careful interpretation: sexual consent must be freely given, clear, and ongoing. A verbal refusal should never be interpreted as consent, regardless of a person’s appearance, behavior, previous actions, or relationship with the other individual.

Aim

The TRSS-8 measures the extent to which individuals endorse the belief that “no” can mean “yes” during sexual interactions. This belief has been studied as a factor influencing the recognition and evaluation of sexual aggression, date rape, and sexual harassment.

The scale may be used in research on sexual consent, rape-myth acceptance, gender stereotypes, and interpretations of verbal resistance. It may also contribute to the evaluation of prevention and consent-education programs when administered before and after an intervention.

Data Analysis and Use

The TRSS-8 is treated as a unidimensional measure. Analysis may include the calculation of a total or mean score, descriptive statistics, and internal consistency assessment using Cronbach’s alpha or McDonald’s omega.

Scores may be examined in relation to rape-myth acceptance, gender-role stereotypes, consent attitudes, and perceptions of sexual harassment. Because of its sensitive content, administration requires informed consent, anonymity or confidentiality, and the participant’s right to withdraw without penalty.

Scoring

Participants indicate their agreement with each of the eight statements using a seven-point Likert scale:

1 = Strongly disagree
2 = Disagree
3 = Slightly disagree
4 = Neither agree nor disagree
5 = Slightly agree
6 = Agree
7 = Strongly agree

All eight items are scored in the same direction, and no reverse coding is required. The total score is calculated by summing the responses and ranges from 8 to 56. Higher scores indicate stronger endorsement of beliefs in token resistance to sex.

No diagnostic cut-off scores have been established. The instrument is intended for research on attitudes and should not be used to predict individual behavior or support clinical, legal, disciplinary, or forensic judgments.

References

Osman, S. L. (1998). The Token Resistance to Sex Scale. In C. M. Davis, W. L. Yarber, R. Bauserman, G. Schreer, & S. L. Davis (Eds.), Handbook of sexuality-related measures (pp. 567–568). Sage.

Osman, S. L. (2003). Predicting men’s rape perceptions based on the belief that “no” really means “yes.” Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 33(4), 683–692. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1559-1816.2003.tb01919.x

Muehlenhard, C. L., & Rodgers, C. S. (1998). Token resistance to sex: New perspectives on an old stereotype. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 22(3), 443–463. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1471-6402.1998.tb00167.x