Degree Received
Ph.D., University of Nevada, Reno, 2001

Research Interests
My current research program focuses on identifying contextual and interpersonal factors that increase women's risk of sexual victimization and revictimization by using an information processing model of social competence as a general framework and methods borrowed from cognitive science. I have used these methods to better understand and identify information processing differences between groups of previously victimized and non-victimized women in response to relevant heterosexual interactions. I have developed an inventory of vignettes that depict varying degrees of risk for sexual coercion (see examples included on this page). I have collected responses to these vignettes and provided them to expert raters who evaluated the competency of the responses in decreasing risk of having unwanted sexual experiences. The results of this study revealed that previously victimized women's responses were rated as less competent in situations that involved (1) sexual activity with the man described, (2) actual or potential romantic involvement with the man described, and (3) a potential impact on her popularity or social acceptance with men. Now that the inventory is complete, I plan to use the stimuli in a variety of studies to investigate the different stages of the information-processing model of social competence that may be related to risk of sexual victimization.

Ultimately, I plan to use the data from these basic research studies to develop and evaluate sexual assault prevention programs. This will be a novel approach to the development of these programs, since most do not include content based a fine-grained, contextual analysis of situations that may elicit sexually coercive male behavior. I plan to expand my area of research further to include the study of dating violence and child sexual abuse prevention programming. Additionally, I am interested in developing and evaluating treatments for sexual trauma. More specifically, I am intrigued by the possibility of developing treatments for individuals who have Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) but who, because of co-morbid disorders or other difficulties, exhibit a poor response to exposure-based therapies.

• Yeater, E. A., Viken, R. J., McFall, R. M., & Wagner, L. R. (2005). Sexual attitudes and instructional set affect estimates of risk and reponse competence. Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment.
• Yeater, E. A., Naugle, A. E., O'Donohue, W. T., & Bradley, A. R. (2004). An evaluation of a skills-based bibliotherapy approach for the prevention of sexual assault among college-aged women. Violence & Victims.
• O'Donohue, W. T. & Yeater, E. A. (2003). Individuating psychotherapies. Behavior Modification, 27(3), 313-321.
• O'Donohue, W. T., Yeater, E. A., & Fanetti, M. F. (2003). Rape prevention with college males: The roles of victim empathy, rape myth acceptance, and outcome expectancies. Journal of Interpersonal Violence.
• Yeater, E. A., & O'Donohue, W. T. (2002). Sexual revictimization: The relationship among rape myths, risk perception, and ability to respond to high-risk situations. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 17, 1135-1144.
• Yeater, E. A., Miltenberger, P. A., Ellis, S., Laden, R. M., & O'Donohue, W. T. (2001). Collaborating with academic affairs: The development and implementation of a sexual assault prevention program within an academic department. National Association of Student Personnel Administrators Journal, 38(4), 438-450.
• Yeater, E. A. & O'Donohue, W. T. (1999). Sexual assault prevention programs: Current status, future directions, and the potential efficacy of interventions with women. Clinical Psychology Review, 19, 739-771.
• Kohlenberg, B. S., Yeater, E. A., & Kohlenberg, R. J. (1998). Functional analysis, therapeutic alliance, and brief psychotherapy. In Safran and Muran (Eds.), The therapeutic alliance and brief psychotherapy (pp. 39-62). American Psychological Association Press: Washington DC.
• O'Donohue, W. T., Downs, K., & Yeater, E. A. (1998). Sexual harassment: A review of the literature. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 3, 111-128.
• O'Donohue, W. T., Grayczyk, P. A., & Yeater, E. A. (1998). Quality control and the practice of clinical psychology. Applied and Preventive Psychology, 7, 181-187.

• Yeater, E. A., McFall, R. M., & Viken, R. J. (submitted). The relationship between decision skills and women's risk for sexual victimization.
• Yeater, E. A., Lenberg, K. L., Rinehart, J. K., Avina, C., & O'Donahue, W. T. (submitted). Contextual and interpersonal factors associated with sexual assault.

• Bradley, A. R., Yeater, E. A., & O'Donohue, W. T. (in preparation). A program evaluation of a mixed-gender sexual assault prevention program.
• Marshall, A. D, Yeater, E. A., & Holtzworth-Munroe, A. (in preparation). Longitudinal predictors of different types of sexual aggression among married couples.

You've not been out on a date in several months. You've been feeling particularly lonely lately. You go out to a bar to have a drink with your girlfriends. An attractive guy that you've seen around campus comes over and asks to buy you a drink. He hangs around and after awhile he starts to touch your arms and back and makes a few sexually suggestive comments.

What would you DO or SAY now if you were in this situation?

You're out at a club with your girlfriends. A really attractive and popular guy has been paying attention to you all night. You friends tell you to "hook up" with him, that he likes you and wants to get with you. You say that you are not sure. Your friends roll their eyes in exasperation and start to ignore you.

What would you DO or SAY now if you were in this situation?

All of your close friends are either dating or in a long-term relationship. You haven't had a date in several months and are feeling kind of hopeless about finding someone that you like. A guy that you've had a crush on for some time finally asks you out on a date. When he brings you home, you invite him in to watch TV. He kisses you and you start to touch each other. You think that this feels good, but do not want to go any farther than kissing and touching. He then starts to unbutton your shirt.

What would you DO or SAY now if you were in this situation?