Index of Sexual Harassment Scale [ISH-19]

Analysis

The Index of Sexual Harassment Scale (ISH-19) is an assessment instrument designed to examine the extent and frequency of experiences of sexual harassment, typically within occupational or social environments. The scale addresses different forms of unwanted sexual behavior, including sexually suggestive comments, unwanted sexual advances, verbal or visual conduct, and unwanted physical contact.

The instrument can be used to document not only whether such experiences have occurred, but also how frequently they are reported, thereby providing a more systematic overview of the individual’s exposure to sexually harassing behavior.

Purpose

The primary purpose of the ISH-19 is to assess the frequency and extent of sexual harassment experiences. The instrument may also help distinguish between different forms of harassment, such as verbal, physical, or visual behaviors.

The results may further be used to investigate associations between sexual harassment experiences and variables such as mental health, job satisfaction, occupational performance, quality of workplace relationships, and general well-being.

In addition, data derived from the scale may support the development of prevention policies, protective procedures, and educational interventions within organizations and workplaces.

Scoring

The ISH-19 includes items addressing different forms of sexual harassment. Depending on the specific version of the instrument, participants may respond using frequency scales, agreement-disagreement scales, or other graded response formats.

Responses may be combined to produce scores for specific forms of harassment, as well as an overall score reflecting the general extent of reported experiences. Higher scores indicate more frequent or more extensive exposure to sexually harassing behaviors.

The provided material does not specify the exact response range, numerical cut-off values, or standardized scoring thresholds. Therefore, precise scoring should follow the original manual or the validated version of the scale being used.

Data Analysis and Use

ISH-19 data may be analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical methods. Researchers may examine the frequency of different types of harassment, compare scores across groups, and explore associations between total scores and other psychological or occupational variables.

Depending on the research design, analyses may include mean comparisons, correlation analyses, or regression models aimed at identifying factors associated with greater exposure to sexual harassment.

References

Measuring Sexual Harassment: The Development and Validation of the Index of Sexual Harassment.

Sexual Harassment in the Workplace: Tools for Assessment and Intervention.

The Psychological and Organizational Impact of Sexual Harassment.

Developing Effective Policies and Training Programs for Sexual Harassment Prevention.

Note: The provided material includes these sources only as titles and does not provide complete bibliographic details such as authors, publication year, journal, or publisher. Full references should therefore be verified before academic use.