Projects and Publications

There are multiple ongoing projects in the SASH Lab, including projects led by Dr. Holland and student led projects. Some current research projects led by Dr. Holland and some representative publications from them are listed below (note: *indicates graduate student author, †indicates undergraduate student author)For a full list of Dr. Holland's publications, see her Google Scholar profile. You can contact Dr. Holland for more information about datasets and papers in progress at kholland4@unl.edu.

Student Support Seeking Study: A longitudinal, mixed method study of LGBTQ+ and cis/straight undergraduate students who have had unwanted sexual experiences. Some central questions driving this research are: What supports are these students seeking? What barriers prevent them from using formal supports and services (i.e., counseling, healthcare, victim advocacy)? How do those barriers change over time? What are the consequences of these service barriers for students’ mental and physical health? Are there unique barriers and consequences for LGBTQ students, and how can formal supports best reach and serve this student population? -- This project is partially funded by a Layman Seed Award Research Grant, University of Nebraska

Representative publications include:

Holland, K. J., *Cipriano, A. E., & *Huit, T. Z. (2020). “A victim/survivor needs agency”: Sexual assault survivors’ perceptions of mandatory reporting policies in institutions of higher education. Analyses of Social Issues and Public Policy, 21(1), 488-508. https://doi.org/10.1111/asap.12226

Holland, K. J., *Cipriano, A. E., *Huit, T. Z., Volk, S., Meyer, C. L., Waitr, E., & Wiener, E. (2021). “Serious enough?” A mixed method examination of the minimization of sexual assault as a service barrier for college sexual assault survivors. Psychology of Violence, 11(3), 276-285. https://doi.org/10.1037/vio0000377

Holland, K. J., Wheeler, L. A., Tyler, K. A., & *Cipriano, A. E. (2021). Development of and preliminary evidence for a psychological service barriers measure among college sexual assault survivors. Violence Against Women, 27(14), 2791-2814. https://doi.org/10.1177/1077801221996467

Holland, K. J., *Cipriano, A. E. & *Huit, T. Z. (2021). LGBTQ and straight sexual assault survivors’ interactions with counseling in a campus counseling center and women’s center. Women & Therapy, 44(3-4), 337-357. https://doi.org/10.1080/02703149.2021.1961439

Holland, K. J., & *Cipriano, A. E. (2021). Does a Report = Support? A Qualitative Analysis of College Sexual Assault Survivors’ Title IX Office Knowledge, Perceptions, and Experiences. Analyses of Social Issues and Public Policy, 21(1), 1054-1081. https://doi.org/10.1111/asap.12271

Graduate Student Reporting Experiences Study: A qualitative study of graduate students' experiences reporting sexual harassment/assault to the university Title IX Office. Some central questions driving this research are: How do elements of the campus adjudication process relate to report outcomes? What harassment/assault characteristics predict the investigation finding a "hostile environment"? How does the reporting process affect students' mental health and academic wellbeing? How do students' identities (e.g., LGBTQ students, international students) relate to harassment and reporting experiences?

Representative publications include:

*Cipriano, A. E., Holland, K. J., *O'Callaghan, E. & *Rieger, A. (2022). “I had no power whatsoever”: Graduate students’ experiences disclosing sexual harassment to mandatory reporters. Analyses of Social Issues and Public Policy. https://doi.org/10.1111/asap.12336

*Cipriano, A. E., Holland, K. J., Bedera, N., *Eagan, S. R., *Diede, A. S. (2021). Severe and pervasive? Consequences of Sexual Harassment for Graduate Students and their Title IX Report Outcomes. Feminist Criminology. https://doi.org/10.1177/15570851211062579

Title IX Practitioners’ Experiences and Perspectives of Mandatory Reporting for Sexual Violence: A cross-sectional survey of Title IX practitioners in institutions of higher education (e.g., Title IX Coordinators) examining university policies that require certain employees to report any sexual assault they learn about to university officials (i.e., mandatory reporting or compelled disclosure policies). Aims of this project include providing essential data regarding mandatory reporting policy practices within Title IX Offices in institutions of higher education and determining predictors of Title IX practitioners’ perceptions of reporting practices that foster institutional betrayal and reflect institutional courage. -- This project is funded by a Center for Institutional Courage research grant

Representative publications include: (data analysis stage)

The Efficacy of Mandatory Reporting Policies for Sexual Assault: A qualitative study of institutional policies/practices (e.g., policy text, training materials) and institutional members (i.e., interviews with faculty/staff and students) in institutions of higher education to study the translation of legal directives related to mandatory reporting of sexual assault into practice, determine the efficacy and effects of such policies, and facilitate evidence-based policymaking that supports survivors of sexual assault. Research aims include evaluating how institutional mandatory reporting policies are reflected in and deviate from individual institutional members’ understandings and attitudes, determining the impact of institutional mandatory reporting policies on individual institutional members’ behaviors and outcomes, and elucidating institutional members’ perspectives on alternative interpretations and implementations of mandatory reporting policies that would afford survivors greater autonomy -- This project is funded by a National Science Foundation CAREER Award grant

Representative publications include: (data collection stage)

Menstruation, Bodies, and Sexual Health Study: A cross-sectional survey of emerging adult women. Some central questions driving this research are: What are the relationships among young women’s attitudes about menstruation and their body? How do attitudes about menstruation and their body relate to women’s comfort communicating and advocating with sexual partners, and sexual health outcomes (e.g., satisfaction with sexual activity, unwanted consensual sexual activity)? How do these attitudes relate to women’s comfort communicating and advocating with healthcare providers, and sexual health outcomes (e.g., satisfaction with providers, accessing preventative care)?

Representative publications include:

Holland, K. J., Silver, K., *Cipriano, A. E., & Brock, R. L. (2020). Internalized body stigma as a barrier to accessing preventative healthcare for young women. Body Image, 35, 217-224. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2020.09.005

Holland, K. J., Silver, K., *Cipriano, A. E., & Brock, R. L. (2021). Young women’s body attitudes and sexual satisfaction: Examining dehumanization and communication as serial multiple mediators. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 45(2), 255-266. https://doi.org/10.1177/0361684321994295

Queer Women's Body Attitudes and Sexual Health Study: A cross-sectional survey of queer adult women examining how queer women’s attitudes toward their body shape, genitals, and menstrual periods are associated with key sexual health outcomes (e.g.,  satisfaction with providers, accessing preventative care). Moreover, this work will test key mechanisms that help to explain the consequences of such body attitudes on sexual health outcomes, including feelings of dehumanization and comfort communicating with partners and providers. Finally, this work will consider the role of minority stressors unique to queer women in these proposed relationships, such as internalized homonegativity/binegativity and the anticipation of heterosexism and homonegativity/binegativity from healthcare providers. -- This project is funded by an American Psychological Association Division 35 Section 4: Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Concerns Early Career Research Award Grant

Representative publications include: (analysis and writing phase)