Confirming the Factor Structure, Concurrent Validity, and Testing the Measurement Invariance Across Gender and Sexual Orientation for the Process-Based Consent Scale

Abstract

The Process-Based Consent Scale (PBCS) was developed to reflect contemporary consent attitudes and practices, with three subscales (Ongoing Consent, Subtle Coercion, and Communicative Sexuality) emerging through exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. However, its measurement invariance across key sociocultural groups has not been evaluated, limiting confidence in group-based comparisons. This study confirmed the PBCS’s bi-factor structure, evaluated its measurement invariance across gender (men vs. women/gender-diverse) and sexual orientation (LGB+ vs. non-LGB+), and assessed its concurrent validity with sexually aggressive behaviors in a Canadian sample (N = 1,046). Multi-group confirmatory factor analysis supported full configural, metric, and scalar invariance across gender and sexual orientation. LGB+ participants showed more prosocial responses across all three subscales, and women/gender-diverse participants endorsed significantly less Subtle Coercion than men. Higher endorsement of Subtle Coercion and lesser endorsement of Ongoing Consent were associated with sexually aggressive behaviors across groups, supporting the instrument’s concurrent validity. Findings indicate that the PBCS is a robust and invariant measure of Ongoing Consent, Subtle Coercion, and Communicative Sexuality across gender and sexual orientation.