Impersonal Sex and Sexual Aggression Perpetrated by Men Against Women: A Systematic Review and Multilevel Meta-Analysis.

Impersonal sex, as a central construct in the Confluence Model, has been extensively examined in research on sexual aggression spanning the past three decades. The current study conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to examine the relationship between impersonal sex and sexual aggression, aiming to address measurement inconsistencies to improve its conceptualization and application within the Confluence Model. A systematic search was conducted across three academic databases to identify quantitative studies published in peer-reviewed journals from January 1995 to May 2023. Articles were included if they contained a U.S. male sample and examined impersonal sex and its association with sexual aggression measured by the Sexual Experiences Survey. A total of 39 articles met the eligibility criteria and were included in the systematic review, with 28 of them containing 61 valid effect size data points that were subsequently included in the meta-analysis. A multilevel approach was used for the meta-analysis to ensure the statistical independence of multiple effect sizes from a single study. The results demonstrated a significant association between impersonal sex and sexual aggression (r+ = .19, p < .001), with significant heterogeneity, QE (60) = 180.32, p < .001, I2 = 66.7%. Further analysis suggested a significant moderating effect of the year of publication. The findings underscore the importance of standardizing the operationalization of impersonal sex. In doing so, it is crucial to clarify the specific role that impersonal sex plays in the structure of the Confluence Model.