Speak: The Effect of Literary Instruction on Adolescents' Rape Myth Acceptance

While grand claims have been made for the power of literature, there is a dearth of experimental research in English education examining the effects of reading literature—and specifically young adult literature—on students' attitudes and moral development. Little work of any kind has been done...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Research in the teaching of English 2014-05, Vol.48 (4), p.407-427
Main Author: Malo-Juvera, Victor
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent Literature
Adolescents
Attitudes
Classroom Communication
Date rape
Eating disorders
Education reform
English language
Homophobia
Language arts
Language attitudes
Literature
Morality
Myths
Novels
Posttests
Pretests
Rape
Reading
Research design
Sexual assault
Sexual violence
Social dating
Student attitudes
Studies
Young adult literature
Young adults
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Summary:While grand claims have been made for the power of literature, there is a dearth of experimental research in English education examining the effects of reading literature—and specifically young adult literature—on students' attitudes and moral development. Little work of any kind has been done on the efficacy of literary interventions in reducing adolescents' rape myth acceptance. In response, this study examined the capacity of a dialogically organized, reader response–based literary unit focused on the young adult novel Speak to reduce adolescents' rape myth acceptance. An experimental design was used with eighth-grade English language arts students in seven classes that were randomly assigned to treatment or control. Rape myth acceptance was measured using the Rape Myth Acceptance Scale (Burt, 1980) and a researcher-created scale, the Adolescent Rape Myth Scale (ARMS). Results revealed that girls had significantly lower levels of pretest rape myth acceptance than boys, that intervention significantly lowered participants' rape myth acceptance, and that there was no backlash to treatment. Factor analysis revealed a two-component solution for the ARMS representing common rape myths; further analysis found that treatment was more effective in reducing the component She Wanted It than the component She Lied. The results demonstrate the instructional value of young adult literature, support the use of reader response–based dialogic instruction, and show it is possible to effectively address topics such as rape at the middle school level. I argue that future research should examine whether similar literary units can affect attitudinal constructs such as homophobia, tolerance of bullying, and attitudes toward disabilities. The potential marginalization of this type of literary instruction due to current educational reforms is also discussed.
ISSN:0034-527X
1943-2348
DOI:10.58680/rte201425160