The impact of Title IX iterations on campus sexual misconduct reports per synthetic control in the United States

Title IX regulation changes' impact on sexual misconduct (SM) reporting to the institutions of higher education (IHE) in the United States (US) remain poorly understood. To examine trends in the rates of SM reports submitted to each American institution's Title IX Office, we applied a synthetic control. US IHE members of the American Association of Universities comprised the 'treated' group, and Canadian IHE members of the Major Regional Associations were used to create a counterfactual proxy. Marginally significant increases (P = 0.08) in reports followed the 2017 Title IX guidance change (+ 1.18, + 4.51 and + 2.24 reports per 1000 enrolled students in 2017-2018, 2018-2019 and 2019-2020, respectively), and a marginally significant decrease (- 5.23 reports per 1000 enrolled students in 2020-2021) in SM reports to Title IX offices followed the 2020 Title IX iterations. Reporting and response structures, like those specified in Title IX iterations, may influence rates of SM reporting.