Sexological testing
Encyclopedia
Sexuality
can be inscribed in a multidimensional model comprising different aspects of human life: biology
, reproduction
, culture
, entertainment
, relationships
and love
.
In the last decades, a growing interest towards sexuality and a greater quest to acknowledge a “right to sexuality” has occurred both in society
and individual
s. The consequence of this evolution has been a renewed and more explicit call for intervention from those who suffer, or think they suffer from alterations of their sexual and relational sphere.
This has produced an increased attention of medicine
and psychology
towards sexual dysfunction
s and the problems they cause in individuals and couples. Science has gradually adjusted already existing research tools, mostly used in other fields of clinical research
, to the field of sexology
, so completing and increasing the number of tools in the “toolkit” of various branches of sexological diagnosis
.
Psychological measurements cannot be considered as accurate as physical ones (weight, height, mass, etc.), as the former evaluate those aspects and variables pertaining to an "individual" whose individuality refers to his/her own psychological, personological and environmental constituents: emotion
s, expressiveness, senses, feelings and experiences which can greatly vary according to the subjects and change in the short period or depending on different settings, even in the same individual.
What is expected of psychological measurements
is "sufficient" accuracy and reliability, i.e. capability to express an indication or focus which clinicians can use as a “guideline” to rapidly and accurately deepen the aspects highlighted by the measurements and check them together with their patients. For this purpose, several statistical validation indexes of psychodiagnostic tests
are provided: from standardization
to various constructions of validity
(internal, external, face, construct, convergent, content, discriminant, etc.).
There are several sexual dysfunctions and each of them has a different cause. Therefore, the field of sexology
provides different psychological evaluation devices in order to examine the various aspects of the discomfort, problem or dysfunction, regardless of whether they are individual or relational ones.
The number of psychodiagnostic reactives
is certainly wide and heterogeneous, nevertheless, the amount of tests specifically meant for the field of sexology is quite limited. The following list (in alphabetical order) is not exhaustive but shows the best known and/or most used reactives in the field of sexological and relational psychodiagnosis.
This test is intended for the assessment of sexual dysfunction
s in psychiatric patients and people with health problems (men and women). It particularly evaluates modifications and alterations of sexual function
s in relation to the intake of medicines or psychotropic substances.
This self-report questionnaire can be both administered by a clinician or self-administered. It is made up of 5 items rated on a 6-point Likert scale.
Each item explores a particular aspect of sexuality: 1. Sexual drive, 2. Arousal, 3a. Penile erection; 3b. Vaginal lubrication, 4. Ability to reach orgasm, 5. Satisfaction from orgasm.
Only one item of the scale has a male and a female version (3a – 3b).
This test provides good reliability indexes with a Cronbach's coefficient alpha of 0,90 and correlation (at intervals of 1 and 2 weeks) with r = 0,80. The “validity of the construction” has been evaluated by several studies through differences in the scores obtained by sample groups (dysfunctional patients) and control groups.,,.
Convergent and discriminant validity have been measured comparing the results obtained by ASEX with those obtained by other tests. Particularly, it has been found a significant correlation between ASEX and BISF (Brief Index of Sexual Functioning) , while little correlation has been noticed between ASEX and HRSD - Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression and BDI - Beck Depression Inventory
.
This questionnaire is aimed at knowing sexuality and sexual attitudes in the elderly
. It is made up of 61 items divided into two subscales: “Knowledge subscale”, a 35-item scale with “True/False” and “I don't know” answers and “Attitudes subscale” which is composed of 26 items rated on a 7-point Likert scale. Both subscales provide good reliability indexes (from 0,97 to 0,72) for Cronbach's alpha, test-retest and split half methods measured on different types of groups: Nursing
home resident, Community older adults, Family of older adults, Persons who work with older adults, Nursing home staff.
According to several studies carried out by the same author, sexual behaviour and attitudes during older age reflects those adopted during younger age, in fact:
ASKAS has been used to study the effects of sexual education
on the attitudes of nursing home
residents, their relatives and nursing home staff towards sexuality in the elderly. It has been noted that, after receiving sexual education, nursing home staff and relatives were more tolerant towards sexual intercourse
in older age. Moreover, there was a significant increase in the sexual activity and satisfaction in those elderly people who had been given sexual education.
An Italian survey
carried out through a translated version of ASKAS among general practitioners has found that almost the entire sample (N=95) knew that sexuality is a lifelong need and it is not hazardous to elderly people's health, but, at the same time, it has revealed a lot of fallacies, confusion, stereotypes and lack of accurate knowledge of sexuality in old men and old women.
Several studies carried out in the fields of medicine and psychology throughout the world ,,,,,, have confirmed that this test can be used in order to assess elderly people and to survey their relatives and those professionals (helping profession) working close to them: doctors, psychologists and social workers.
Self administering questionnaire
(60 items in all) measures masculinity (20 items), femininity (20 items), androgyny (20 items), using the masculinity and femininity scales.
This scale is made up of 32 items which explore 4 interdependent dimensions in order to evaluate relational adaptation between husband and wife: agreement between husband and wife on important matters, cohesion of the couple on common activities, satisfaction of the couple with the progress of their relationship
, expression of satisfaction with their affective and sexual life.
This questionnaire (35 item) evaluates the different components in male erectile dysfunction
: Vascular (V), Neurogenic (N), Hormonal (H), Psychogenic (P).
The scores of V-N-H components provide information about those organic factors responsible for the dysfunction; the scores of P component indicate the influence of the psychogenic component. If the total score of V-N-H components is higher than the score of P component, then the organic etiology prevails over the psychogenic one (and vice-versa).
This device is useful in the clinic setting. However, due to the fact that it is not validated nor standardised
, it must be used carefully in research
s and screenings
.
A standardised
self-evaluation questionnaire
made up of 258 items (245 in the original version published in 1975). It produces 9 sexual dimensions (information, experience, sexual drive, attitudes, affectivity, sexual gender and role, sexual fantasies, body image and sexual satisfaction), a dimension about psychopathological symptoms (anxiety, depression and somatizations) and an SFI index (sexual functioning index). Due to the high number of items, it requires a considerable amount of time to be filled in.
A self-evaluation questionnaire
on erectile dysfunction which is meant for male patients (13 items) and their partners (5 items). It explores achievements, perceived satisfaction, and treatment effectiveness.
The items meant for male patients study expectations, effectiveness, side effects and their willingness to continue with the treatment. The items meant for their partners explore the changes occurred in the couple's sexual activity and allow to notice the concordance between the subjective answers of the patients and the objective ones provided by theirs partners.
This is one of the oldest self-report questionnaire measures of the various paraphilias listed in the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM).
The EPES includes scales for sexual masochism (11 items), sexual sadism (20 items), fetishism (8 items), cross-gender fetishism—transvestism (11 items), autogynephilia—a man’s tendency to be erotically aroused by the thought or image of himself as a woman (8 items), pedophilia (18 items), hebephilia—the erotic preference for pubescent, as opposed to prepubescent, children (9 items), voyeurism (6 items), and exhibitionism (13 items). The alpha reliability coefficients for these scales run from .74 to .98.
The EPES is not copyrighted and can be used without special permission.
This scale is made up of 111 items exploring family relationships (children above 12 included) with regard to 4 degrees of “cohesion”, i.e. emotional link between family members (regressed, attached, parted, disengaged) and 4 degrees of “adaptability” (chaotic, flexible, structured, rigid) i.e. capability of family members to reorganize in response to changes in the situations involving the family.
A first revision (1993) called FACES-II reduced the scale to 30 items, whereas a second one (1995) called FACES-III further reduced the number of items to 20.
This scale is made up of 29 items. The questions touch on topics such as childhood playmate preference. Adolescent sexual experience, and sexual activity preference in details.
A 28-item questionnaire which is intended to analyse the features of dyadic relationships. It is often used in marriage counselling
and couple's therapy. This inventory
shows good psychometric features and is often used together with GRISS which is its individual version.
It consists of two questionnaires (i.e. a male and a female questionnaire) with 28 items each. It studies sexual dysfunctions in heterosexual subjects. It provides a total score and subscales scores: intercourse frequency, incommunicability, dissatisfaction, avoiding sexual intercourse, absence of sexuality, anorgasmia
and vaginismus
(only in the female version), impotence
and premature ejaculation
(only in the male version).
It is provided with good psychometric features and is easy to administer due to the limited amount of items. However, this feature limits its illustrative and diagnostic function.
A 43-item self-evaluation scale which explore subjects' attitude towards sexuality. The scale examines 4 sexuality-related factors: permissiveness, sexual practices, community (i.e. participation and involvement) and instrumentalism (i.e. pleasure-oriented sexuality).
This standardised
and validated 15-item self-evaluation scale provides pre-post treatment clinic evaluations of erectile function, orgasmic function, sexual desire, satisfaction in sexual intercourse and general satisfaction.
The IIEF-5 Sexual Health Inventory for Men , an abridged version of the IIEF, contains a shorter questionnaire
of 5 items which takes into account the latest six months instead of the latest four weeks considered by the IIEF.
A 25-item questionnaire which psychometrically evaluates the preponderance of sexual components in the problems of a couple. Sexuality-related aspects in the couple are measured with regard to the feelings, attitudes, and events occurring during the relationship.
A 15-item questionnaire which evaluates intrarelational adaptation and the agreement between husband and wife about those behaviours they consider sensible and suitable for their marital life. Psychometric capabilities are limited due to its obsolescence.
This scale is made up of two questionnaires (i.e. a male and a female questionnaire) with 42 items each, which provide a total score on intra-couple communication and scores relative to 6 dimensions: communication, adjustment, intimacy and sexuality, children, jobs and income, and religious beliefs.
This device shows a good reliability and internal consistency of the global score in comparison to the sub-dimensions.
A test published in 1942 by the University of Minnesota
, it was revised in 1989 when the current version MMPI-2 was created (last release Restructured Form in 2003).
The MMPI-2 is made up of a considerable number of items (567) which explore several features of personality pertaining psychology and psychiatry. There are also an abridged version (370 items) and a version called MMPI-A of 478 items (350 items in a short form) aimed at evaluating adolescent between the age of 14 and 18.
The dimensions taken into account are divided into: Basic Scales (which evaluate the most relevant features of personality), Content Scales (which analyse different variables of personality), Supplementary Scales (which further investigate some of the issues in the basic scales), Validity Scales (which define the degree of sincerity and accuracy in filling the questionnaire).
The evaluation of sexual and relational settings takes into account the following aspects: masculinity
– femininity
(i.e. those aspects typically viewed as masculine or feminine, considered as a whole), masculine and feminine gender role
(i.e. perception of gender role), marital distress and family discord (i.e. conflicts whitin the couple), social introversion
(i.e. difficulties in social relations).
Criticisms of this device relate to the amount of time required to fill it in (60–120 minutes) and to the fact that some of the Restructured Clinical Scales, although regarded as clearer and easier to interpret, raised some controversies in the academic world because they have been modified compared to those in the original version.
This test is made up of two questionnaires (i.e. a male and a female questionnaire) with 24 pairs of items each. They measure the dominance and willingness within the couple. Its validity
has been improved thanks to a revision by Scott-Heyes (1982) whose title is RSMPT - Ryle/Scott-Heyes Marital Patterns Questionnaire.
A 280-item inventory
which evaluates marital satisfaction with regard to 12 dimensions especially concerning conventionalism, affective communication, amount of time spent together, disagreement on financial problems, disagreement on children management and sexual satisfaction. A total score of the scales provides a “global discomfort” index defined by couple dissatisfaction, whereas a reduced version of this device (made up of 44 items) shows the “indifference” degree and the “disharmony” degree of the relationship.
A 36-item self-evaluation questionnaire for evaluating premature ejaculation. The ejaculative/orgasmic behaviour is explored in its various problematic aspects: persistence, significance, frequency, situational factors, psychological reaction of both partners, techniques adopted by the patient in order to coping the problem, adaptation and interference levels of the disturbance, performance anxiety, and partner's behaviour during sexual intercourse.
This inventory
is made up of 125 items, subdivided into 14 subscales, which explore sexual intercourse, personal difficulties, marital satisfaction, couple cohesion, dyadic adaptability, communication, conflict resolution, equality of the roles, children and marital life, family and friends, financial management, leisure activities, religious orientation, idealistic distortions. This inventory requires an elaborate preparation in order to be used and results from the combination of three previous scales: PREPARE - Premarital Personal and Relationship Evaluation (for couples planning to marry who do not have children); PREPARE-MC - Marriage Children (for couples planning to marry who have children, either together or from previous relationships); ENRICH - Evaluating Nurturing Relationship Issues Communication and Happiness (for married couples seeking empowerment and counselling
).
A 28-item questionnaire
that psychometrically evaluates the level of arousability produced by sexual experiences, whereas SAI-E Sexual Arousability Inventory Expanded measures anxiety and arousability and it is meant for men and women regardless their psychosexual orientation.
A 25-item scale aiming at identifying subjects' attitude (liberal or conservative) towards different forms of sexuality. This questionnaire is not meant to study sexual disturbances, it just explores the subjects' attitude towards sexuality and its numerous expressions.
A self-evaluation scale in two versions (male and female version). Both versions are made up of 21 items. The questionnaire evaluates the kind of involvement of subjects in heterosexual activities.
A standardised
and validated
self-administering and self-evaluation questionnaire
. It studies the dysfunctional aspects in individual and couple sexuality
besides family, social, affective and relational aspects.
It consists of two questionnaires (i.e. a male and a female questionnaire) which are divided in two subsections each: one for singles and one for people with a partner.
The number of items in each questionnaire is variable: 135 items for singles and 173 for people with a partner. The explored dimensions are 16 for singles and 18 for people living a dyadic situation.
This questionnaire can be directly self-administered on the computer (self-assessment
); after that the software elaborates the questionnaire and produces a report made up of 9 sections. Each of these sections has several levels of further diagnostic analysis.
A short version of this questionnaire, called Sexuality Evaluation Schedule Assessment
Monitoring , has a lower number of items and can be administered only through the paper and pencil method.
The disadvantages of this evaluation/research tool are the time required for filling in the questionnaire and the fact that the complete Report
can be elaborated only by the software.
This test investigates sexual arousal
and inhibition
in women through a 115-item questionnaire rated on a 4-point Likert scale.
The areas concerning sexual arousal are: Arousability (arousal and sexual stimulation); Sexual power dynamics (power dynamics in sexuality); Smell (arousing smells); Partner characteristics; Setting (unusual or unconcealed settings).
Sexual inhibition factors are: Relationship importance; Arousal contingency (arousal-related factors); Concerns about sexual function (concerns about the consequences of sexual activity).
This test is based on the conditioning of sexual response: sexual arousal is controlled by the balance of several factors, all of which contribute to arousal or inhibition.
Validation of this test is based on a sample of 655 women with an average age of 33,09. Statistical calculations have provided a good reliability measured by test-retest method and good discriminant and convergent validity
determined through the consistency of the results obtained by this test with those obtained by BIS/BAS - Behavioral Inhibition Scale/Behavioral Activation Scale , SOS – Sexual Opinion Survey and SSS – Sexual Sensation Seeking .
A standardised
questionnaire which studies sexual impotence problems. It is made up of 62 items (48 of them are meant for both partners while 14 are meant exclusively for the dysfunctional patient). The scoring and the clinical evaluation must have done with the traditional method.
Clarke Sex History Questionnaire for Males was created in 1977 by some clinicians from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
(the former Clarke Institute of Psychiatry) in Toronto
(Canada
).
SHQ-R is a fully validated and standardised self-report questionnaire, revised in 2002. It is composed of 508 items exploring several areas of male sexuality:
I. Childhood and Adolescent Sexual Experiences (a scale to measure sexual experiences and sexual abuse
during childhood and adolescence);
II. Sexual Dysfunction (a scale which evaluates sexual dysfunction
s such as impotence
, hypersexuality
and premature
or retarded
ejaculation);
III. Adult Age/Gender Sexual Outlets (seven scales measuring the frequency of various sexual activities with adults, children and adolescents);
IV. Fantasy and Pornography (three scales measuring sexual fantasies involving women, men and the use of pornography);
V. Transvestism, Fetishism, and Feminine Gender Identity (three scales which evaluate personal experiences with regard to transvestism, sexual fetishes and identification with female gender traits);
VI. Courtship Disorders
(six scales which take into consideration several aspects of “disturbed courtship”: voyeurism
, exhibitionism
, obscene telephone calls
, frotteurism
/toucherism and sexual assault
).
This test also includes two validity indicators: a “Lie scale” (insincere answers) and an “Infrequency scale” (infrequent answers).
A standardised
self-evaluation questionnaire made up of 17 items with 6 answers each. It gathers information about sexual interactions within heterosexual
or homosexual
couples. The result is obtained through a cross evaluation of the answers both partners have separately given in their respective questionnaires.
Manual scoring of rough points, which are then converted into percentages to be used to create a diagram which shows a sexual interaction profile for each couple.
A 400-item checklist relating partner's behaviours to be filled in by husband and wife for two weeks.
It takes into account 12 behavioural categories: love, solidarity, consideration, sexuality, communication, couple's activities, children's care, home management, decisions about financial matters, job, personal habits and independence of both partners.
It is similar to MAP - Marital Agendas Protocol in many aspects. This type of daily diaries are chiefly used in marriage counselling
in order to evaluate conflict management and couple satisfaction/dissatisfaction.
A 21-item scale which explores subjects' attitude towards several sexual aspects: heterosexuality
, homosexuality
, erotic fantasies
, sexual stimuli
, etc.
The Psycho Erotic Induction Test is a projective test
, standardised
for evaluating erotic imagery. It is made up of 8 tables concerning four specific issues: situations during childhood, initiative in love relationships, competitiveness and function of the group.
This scale is made up of 90 items analysing 9 aspects relating couple's intimacy: sexuality, love, expressiveness, marital cohesion, couple compatibility, partners' independence, conflicts, social identity and desirability bias
. This scale seems to be reliable and free from sexual preconceptions although plethoric in conceptualising some of the items.
Human sexuality
Human sexuality is the awareness of gender differences, and the capacity to have erotic experiences and responses. Human sexuality can also be described as the way someone is sexually attracted to another person whether it is to opposite sexes , to the same sex , to either sexes , or not being...
can be inscribed in a multidimensional model comprising different aspects of human life: biology
Biology
Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...
, reproduction
Human reproduction
Human reproduction is any form of sexual reproduction resulting in the conception of a child, typically involving sexual intercourse between a man and a woman. During intercourse, the interaction between the male and female reproductive systems results in fertilization of the woman's ovum by the...
, culture
Culture
Culture is a term that has many different inter-related meanings. For example, in 1952, Alfred Kroeber and Clyde Kluckhohn compiled a list of 164 definitions of "culture" in Culture: A Critical Review of Concepts and Definitions...
, entertainment
Entertainment
Entertainment consists of any activity which provides a diversion or permits people to amuse themselves in their leisure time. Entertainment is generally passive, such as watching opera or a movie. Active forms of amusement, such as sports, are more often considered to be recreation...
, relationships
Interpersonal relationship
An interpersonal relationship is an association between two or more people that may range from fleeting to enduring. This association may be based on limerence, love, solidarity, regular business interactions, or some other type of social commitment. Interpersonal relationships are formed in the...
and love
Love
Love is an emotion of strong affection and personal attachment. In philosophical context, love is a virtue representing all of human kindness, compassion, and affection. Love is central to many religions, as in the Christian phrase, "God is love" or Agape in the Canonical gospels...
.
In the last decades, a growing interest towards sexuality and a greater quest to acknowledge a “right to sexuality” has occurred both in society
Society
A society, or a human society, is a group of people related to each other through persistent relations, or a large social grouping sharing the same geographical or virtual territory, subject to the same political authority and dominant cultural expectations...
and individual
Individual
An individual is a person or any specific object or thing in a collection. Individuality is the state or quality of being an individual; a person separate from other persons and possessing his or her own needs, goals, and desires. Being self expressive...
s. The consequence of this evolution has been a renewed and more explicit call for intervention from those who suffer, or think they suffer from alterations of their sexual and relational sphere.
This has produced an increased attention of medicine
Medicine
Medicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
and psychology
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
towards sexual dysfunction
Sexual dysfunction
Sexual dysfunction or sexual malfunction refers to a difficulty experienced by an individual or a couple during any stage of a normal sexual activity, including desire, arousal or orgasm....
s and the problems they cause in individuals and couples. Science has gradually adjusted already existing research tools, mostly used in other fields of clinical research
Clinical research
Clinical research is a branch of medical science that determines the safety and effectiveness of medications, devices, diagnostic products and treatment regimens intended for human use...
, to the field of sexology
Sexology
Sexology is the scientific study of human sexuality, including human sexual interests, behavior, and function. The term does not generally refer to the non-scientific study of sex, such as political analysis or social criticism....
, so completing and increasing the number of tools in the “toolkit” of various branches of sexological diagnosis
Medical diagnosis
Medical diagnosis refers both to the process of attempting to determine or identify a possible disease or disorder , and to the opinion reached by this process...
.
Psychological measurements cannot be considered as accurate as physical ones (weight, height, mass, etc.), as the former evaluate those aspects and variables pertaining to an "individual" whose individuality refers to his/her own psychological, personological and environmental constituents: emotion
Emotion
Emotion is a complex psychophysiological experience of an individual's state of mind as interacting with biochemical and environmental influences. In humans, emotion fundamentally involves "physiological arousal, expressive behaviors, and conscious experience." Emotion is associated with mood,...
s, expressiveness, senses, feelings and experiences which can greatly vary according to the subjects and change in the short period or depending on different settings, even in the same individual.
What is expected of psychological measurements
Psychometrics
Psychometrics is the field of study concerned with the theory and technique of psychological measurement, which includes the measurement of knowledge, abilities, attitudes, personality traits, and educational measurement...
is "sufficient" accuracy and reliability, i.e. capability to express an indication or focus which clinicians can use as a “guideline” to rapidly and accurately deepen the aspects highlighted by the measurements and check them together with their patients. For this purpose, several statistical validation indexes of psychodiagnostic tests
Psychological testing
Psychological testing is a field characterized by the use of samples of behavior in order to assess psychological construct, such as cognitive and emotional functioning, about a given individual. The technical term for the science behind psychological testing is psychometrics...
are provided: from standardization
Standardization
Standardization is the process of developing and implementing technical standards.The goals of standardization can be to help with independence of single suppliers , compatibility, interoperability, safety, repeatability, or quality....
to various constructions of validity
Validity (statistics)
In science and statistics, validity has no single agreed definition but generally refers to the extent to which a concept, conclusion or measurement is well-founded and corresponds accurately to the real world. The word "valid" is derived from the Latin validus, meaning strong...
(internal, external, face, construct, convergent, content, discriminant, etc.).
There are several sexual dysfunctions and each of them has a different cause. Therefore, the field of sexology
Sexology
Sexology is the scientific study of human sexuality, including human sexual interests, behavior, and function. The term does not generally refer to the non-scientific study of sex, such as political analysis or social criticism....
provides different psychological evaluation devices in order to examine the various aspects of the discomfort, problem or dysfunction, regardless of whether they are individual or relational ones.
The number of psychodiagnostic reactives
Psychological testing
Psychological testing is a field characterized by the use of samples of behavior in order to assess psychological construct, such as cognitive and emotional functioning, about a given individual. The technical term for the science behind psychological testing is psychometrics...
is certainly wide and heterogeneous, nevertheless, the amount of tests specifically meant for the field of sexology is quite limited. The following list (in alphabetical order) is not exhaustive but shows the best known and/or most used reactives in the field of sexological and relational psychodiagnosis.
ASEX (Arizona Sexual Experience Scale)
- ASEX - Arizona Sexual Experience Scale
This test is intended for the assessment of sexual dysfunction
Sexual dysfunction
Sexual dysfunction or sexual malfunction refers to a difficulty experienced by an individual or a couple during any stage of a normal sexual activity, including desire, arousal or orgasm....
s in psychiatric patients and people with health problems (men and women). It particularly evaluates modifications and alterations of sexual function
Sexual function
Sexual function is a model developed at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden, defining different aspects of the assessment of sexual dysfunction comprises the following components....
s in relation to the intake of medicines or psychotropic substances.
This self-report questionnaire can be both administered by a clinician or self-administered. It is made up of 5 items rated on a 6-point Likert scale.
Each item explores a particular aspect of sexuality: 1. Sexual drive, 2. Arousal, 3a. Penile erection; 3b. Vaginal lubrication, 4. Ability to reach orgasm, 5. Satisfaction from orgasm.
Only one item of the scale has a male and a female version (3a – 3b).
This test provides good reliability indexes with a Cronbach's coefficient alpha of 0,90 and correlation (at intervals of 1 and 2 weeks) with r = 0,80. The “validity of the construction” has been evaluated by several studies through differences in the scores obtained by sample groups (dysfunctional patients) and control groups.,,.
Convergent and discriminant validity have been measured comparing the results obtained by ASEX with those obtained by other tests. Particularly, it has been found a significant correlation between ASEX and BISF (Brief Index of Sexual Functioning) , while little correlation has been noticed between ASEX and HRSD - Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression and BDI - Beck Depression Inventory
Beck Depression Inventory
The Beck Depression Inventory , created by Dr. Aaron T. Beck, is a 21-question multiple-choice self-report inventory, one of the most widely used instruments for measuring the severity of depression...
.
ASKAS (Aging Sexuality Knowledge and Attitudes Scale)
- ASKAS - Aging Sexuality Knowledge and Attitudes Scale
This questionnaire is aimed at knowing sexuality and sexual attitudes in the elderly
Old age
Old age consists of ages nearing or surpassing the average life span of human beings, and thus the end of the human life cycle...
. It is made up of 61 items divided into two subscales: “Knowledge subscale”, a 35-item scale with “True/False” and “I don't know” answers and “Attitudes subscale” which is composed of 26 items rated on a 7-point Likert scale. Both subscales provide good reliability indexes (from 0,97 to 0,72) for Cronbach's alpha, test-retest and split half methods measured on different types of groups: Nursing
Nursing
Nursing is a healthcare profession focused on the care of individuals, families, and communities so they may attain, maintain, or recover optimal health and quality of life from conception to death....
home resident, Community older adults, Family of older adults, Persons who work with older adults, Nursing home staff.
According to several studies carried out by the same author, sexual behaviour and attitudes during older age reflects those adopted during younger age, in fact:
- those people who were sexually active during youth tend to maintain this behaviour during older age;
- negative attitudes towards sex learned during youth can significantly affect the ability to have good sexuality during older age.
ASKAS has been used to study the effects of sexual education
Sex education
Sex education refers to formal programs of instruction on a wide range of issues relating to human sexuality, including human sexual anatomy, sexual reproduction, sexual intercourse, reproductive health, emotional relations, reproductive rights and responsibilities, abstinence, contraception, and...
on the attitudes of nursing home
Nursing home
A nursing home, convalescent home, skilled nursing unit , care home, rest home, or old people's home provides a type of care of residents: it is a place of residence for people who require constant nursing care and have significant deficiencies with activities of daily living...
residents, their relatives and nursing home staff towards sexuality in the elderly. It has been noted that, after receiving sexual education, nursing home staff and relatives were more tolerant towards sexual intercourse
Sexual intercourse
Sexual intercourse, also known as copulation or coitus, commonly refers to the act in which a male's penis enters a female's vagina for the purposes of sexual pleasure or reproduction. The entities may be of opposite sexes, or they may be hermaphroditic, as is the case with snails...
in older age. Moreover, there was a significant increase in the sexual activity and satisfaction in those elderly people who had been given sexual education.
An Italian survey
Statistical survey
Survey methodology is the field that studies surveys, that is, the sample of individuals from a population with a view towards making statistical inferences about the population using the sample. Polls about public opinion, such as political beliefs, are reported in the news media in democracies....
carried out through a translated version of ASKAS among general practitioners has found that almost the entire sample (N=95) knew that sexuality is a lifelong need and it is not hazardous to elderly people's health, but, at the same time, it has revealed a lot of fallacies, confusion, stereotypes and lack of accurate knowledge of sexuality in old men and old women.
Several studies carried out in the fields of medicine and psychology throughout the world ,,,,,, have confirmed that this test can be used in order to assess elderly people and to survey their relatives and those professionals (helping profession) working close to them: doctors, psychologists and social workers.
BSRI (Bem Sex Role Inventory)
- BSRI – Bem Sex Role Inventory
Self administering questionnaire
Questionnaire
A questionnaire is a research instrument consisting of a series of questions and other prompts for the purpose of gathering information from respondents. Although they are often designed for statistical analysis of the responses, this is not always the case...
(60 items in all) measures masculinity (20 items), femininity (20 items), androgyny (20 items), using the masculinity and femininity scales.
"The concept of psychological androgyny implies that it is possible for an individual to be both compassionate and assertive, both expressive and instrumental, both feminine and masculine, depending upon the situational appropriateness of these various modalities".
DAS (Dyadic Adjustment Scale)
- DAS - Dyadic Adjustment Scale
This scale is made up of 32 items which explore 4 interdependent dimensions in order to evaluate relational adaptation between husband and wife: agreement between husband and wife on important matters, cohesion of the couple on common activities, satisfaction of the couple with the progress of their relationship
Intimate relationship
An intimate relationship is a particularly close interpersonal relationship that involves physical or emotional intimacy. Physical intimacy is characterized by romantic or passionate love and attachment, or sexual activity. The term is also sometimes used euphemistically for a sexual...
, expression of satisfaction with their affective and sexual life.
DIQ (Diagnostic Impotence Questionnaire)
- DIQ - Diagnostic Impotence Questionnaire
This questionnaire (35 item) evaluates the different components in male erectile dysfunction
Erectile dysfunction
Erectile dysfunction is sexual dysfunction characterized by the inability to develop or maintain an erection of the penis during sexual performance....
: Vascular (V), Neurogenic (N), Hormonal (H), Psychogenic (P).
The scores of V-N-H components provide information about those organic factors responsible for the dysfunction; the scores of P component indicate the influence of the psychogenic component. If the total score of V-N-H components is higher than the score of P component, then the organic etiology prevails over the psychogenic one (and vice-versa).
This device is useful in the clinic setting. However, due to the fact that it is not validated nor standardised
Structured interview
A structured interview is a quantitative research method commonly employed in survey research. The aim of this approach is to ensure that each interview is presented with exactly the same questions in the same order...
, it must be used carefully in research
Research
Research can be defined as the scientific search for knowledge, or as any systematic investigation, to establish novel facts, solve new or existing problems, prove new ideas, or develop new theories, usually using a scientific method...
s and screenings
Screening (medicine)
Screening, in medicine, is a strategy used in a population to detect a disease in individuals without signs or symptoms of that disease. Unlike what generally happens in medicine, screening tests are performed on persons without any clinical sign of disease....
.
DSFI (Derogatis Sexual Function Inventory)
- DSFI - Derogatis Sexual Function Inventory
A standardised
Structured interview
A structured interview is a quantitative research method commonly employed in survey research. The aim of this approach is to ensure that each interview is presented with exactly the same questions in the same order...
self-evaluation questionnaire
Questionnaire
A questionnaire is a research instrument consisting of a series of questions and other prompts for the purpose of gathering information from respondents. Although they are often designed for statistical analysis of the responses, this is not always the case...
made up of 258 items (245 in the original version published in 1975). It produces 9 sexual dimensions (information, experience, sexual drive, attitudes, affectivity, sexual gender and role, sexual fantasies, body image and sexual satisfaction), a dimension about psychopathological symptoms (anxiety, depression and somatizations) and an SFI index (sexual functioning index). Due to the high number of items, it requires a considerable amount of time to be filled in.
EDITS (Erectile Dysfunction Inventory of Treatment Satisfaction)
- EDITS - Erectile Dysfunction Inventory of Treatment Satisfaction
A self-evaluation questionnaire
Questionnaire
A questionnaire is a research instrument consisting of a series of questions and other prompts for the purpose of gathering information from respondents. Although they are often designed for statistical analysis of the responses, this is not always the case...
on erectile dysfunction which is meant for male patients (13 items) and their partners (5 items). It explores achievements, perceived satisfaction, and treatment effectiveness.
The items meant for male patients study expectations, effectiveness, side effects and their willingness to continue with the treatment. The items meant for their partners explore the changes occurred in the couple's sexual activity and allow to notice the concordance between the subjective answers of the patients and the objective ones provided by theirs partners.
EPES (Erotic Preferences Examination Scheme)
- EPES - Erotic Preferences Examination Scheme
This is one of the oldest self-report questionnaire measures of the various paraphilias listed in the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM).
The EPES includes scales for sexual masochism (11 items), sexual sadism (20 items), fetishism (8 items), cross-gender fetishism—transvestism (11 items), autogynephilia—a man’s tendency to be erotically aroused by the thought or image of himself as a woman (8 items), pedophilia (18 items), hebephilia—the erotic preference for pubescent, as opposed to prepubescent, children (9 items), voyeurism (6 items), and exhibitionism (13 items). The alpha reliability coefficients for these scales run from .74 to .98.
The EPES is not copyrighted and can be used without special permission.
FACES (Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scales)
- FACES - Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scales
This scale is made up of 111 items exploring family relationships (children above 12 included) with regard to 4 degrees of “cohesion”, i.e. emotional link between family members (regressed, attached, parted, disengaged) and 4 degrees of “adaptability” (chaotic, flexible, structured, rigid) i.e. capability of family members to reorganize in response to changes in the situations involving the family.
A first revision (1993) called FACES-II reduced the scale to 30 items, whereas a second one (1995) called FACES-III further reduced the number of items to 20.
FGIS (Feminine Gender Identity Scale)
- FGIS - Feminine Gender Identity Scale
This scale is made up of 29 items. The questions touch on topics such as childhood playmate preference. Adolescent sexual experience, and sexual activity preference in details.
GRIMS (Golombok Rust Inventory of Marital State)
- GRIMS - Golombok Rust Inventory of Marital State
A 28-item questionnaire which is intended to analyse the features of dyadic relationships. It is often used in marriage counselling
Counseling psychology
Counseling psychology is a psychological specialty that encompasses research and applied work in several broad domains: counseling process and outcome; supervision and training; career development and counseling; and prevention and health...
and couple's therapy. This inventory
Self-report inventory
A self-report inventory is a type of psychological test in which a person fills out a survey or questionnaire with or without the help of an investigator...
shows good psychometric features and is often used together with GRISS which is its individual version.
GRISS (Golombok Rust Inventory of Sexual Satisfaction)
- GRISS - Golombok Rust Inventory of Sexual Satisfaction
It consists of two questionnaires (i.e. a male and a female questionnaire) with 28 items each. It studies sexual dysfunctions in heterosexual subjects. It provides a total score and subscales scores: intercourse frequency, incommunicability, dissatisfaction, avoiding sexual intercourse, absence of sexuality, anorgasmia
Anorgasmia
Anorgasmia, or Coughlan's syndrome, is a type of sexual dysfunction in which a person cannot achieve orgasm, even with adequate stimulation. In males the condition is often related to delayed ejaculation . Anorgasmia can often cause sexual frustration...
and vaginismus
Vaginismus
Vaginismus, sometimes anglicized vaginism, is the German name for a condition which affects a woman's ability to engage in any form of vaginal penetration, including sexual intercourse, insertion of tampons and/or menstrual cups, and the penetration involved in gynecological examinations...
(only in the female version), impotence
Erectile dysfunction
Erectile dysfunction is sexual dysfunction characterized by the inability to develop or maintain an erection of the penis during sexual performance....
and premature ejaculation
Premature ejaculation
Premature ejaculation is a condition in which a man ejaculates earlier than he or his partner would like him to. Premature ejaculation is also known as rapid ejaculation, rapid climax, premature climax, or early ejaculation....
(only in the male version).
It is provided with good psychometric features and is easy to administer due to the limited amount of items. However, this feature limits its illustrative and diagnostic function.
HSAS (Hendrick Sexual Attitude Scale)
- HSAS - Hendrick Sexual Attitude Scale
A 43-item self-evaluation scale which explore subjects' attitude towards sexuality. The scale examines 4 sexuality-related factors: permissiveness, sexual practices, community (i.e. participation and involvement) and instrumentalism (i.e. pleasure-oriented sexuality).
IIEF (International Index of Erectile Function)
- IIEF - International Index of Erectile Function
This standardised
Structured interview
A structured interview is a quantitative research method commonly employed in survey research. The aim of this approach is to ensure that each interview is presented with exactly the same questions in the same order...
and validated 15-item self-evaluation scale provides pre-post treatment clinic evaluations of erectile function, orgasmic function, sexual desire, satisfaction in sexual intercourse and general satisfaction.
The IIEF-5 Sexual Health Inventory for Men , an abridged version of the IIEF, contains a shorter questionnaire
Questionnaire
A questionnaire is a research instrument consisting of a series of questions and other prompts for the purpose of gathering information from respondents. Although they are often designed for statistical analysis of the responses, this is not always the case...
of 5 items which takes into account the latest six months instead of the latest four weeks considered by the IIEF.
ISS (Index of Sexual Satisfaction)
- ISS - Index of Sexual Satisfaction
A 25-item questionnaire which psychometrically evaluates the preponderance of sexual components in the problems of a couple. Sexuality-related aspects in the couple are measured with regard to the feelings, attitudes, and events occurring during the relationship.
MAT (Marital Adjustment Test)
- MAT - Marital Adjustment Test
A 15-item questionnaire which evaluates intrarelational adaptation and the agreement between husband and wife about those behaviours they consider sensible and suitable for their marital life. Psychometric capabilities are limited due to its obsolescence.
MCI (Marital Communication Inventory)
- MCI - Marital Communication Inventory
This scale is made up of two questionnaires (i.e. a male and a female questionnaire) with 42 items each, which provide a total score on intra-couple communication and scores relative to 6 dimensions: communication, adjustment, intimacy and sexuality, children, jobs and income, and religious beliefs.
This device shows a good reliability and internal consistency of the global score in comparison to the sub-dimensions.
MMPI-2 (Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory)
- MMPI-2 - Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory
- Main article: MMPIMinnesota Multiphasic Personality InventoryThe Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory is one of the most frequently used personality tests in mental health. The test is used by trained professionals to assist in identifying personality structure and psychopathology....
A test published in 1942 by the University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
, it was revised in 1989 when the current version MMPI-2 was created (last release Restructured Form in 2003).
The MMPI-2 is made up of a considerable number of items (567) which explore several features of personality pertaining psychology and psychiatry. There are also an abridged version (370 items) and a version called MMPI-A of 478 items (350 items in a short form) aimed at evaluating adolescent between the age of 14 and 18.
The dimensions taken into account are divided into: Basic Scales (which evaluate the most relevant features of personality), Content Scales (which analyse different variables of personality), Supplementary Scales (which further investigate some of the issues in the basic scales), Validity Scales (which define the degree of sincerity and accuracy in filling the questionnaire).
The evaluation of sexual and relational settings takes into account the following aspects: masculinity
Masculinity
Masculinity is possessing qualities or characteristics considered typical of or appropriate to a man. The term can be used to describe any human, animal or object that has the quality of being masculine...
– femininity
Femininity
Femininity is a set of attributes, behaviors, and roles generally associated with girls and women. Though socially constructed, femininity is made up of both socially defined and biologically created factors...
(i.e. those aspects typically viewed as masculine or feminine, considered as a whole), masculine and feminine gender role
Gender role
Gender roles refer to the set of social and behavioral norms that are considered to be socially appropriate for individuals of a specific sex in the context of a specific culture, which differ widely between cultures and over time...
(i.e. perception of gender role), marital distress and family discord (i.e. conflicts whitin the couple), social introversion
Extraversion and introversion
The trait of extraversion-introversion is a central dimension of human personality theories.Extraverts tend to be gregarious, assertive, and interested in seeking out external stimulus. Introverts, in contrast, tend to be introspective, quiet and less sociable. They are not necessarily loners but...
(i.e. difficulties in social relations).
Criticisms of this device relate to the amount of time required to fill it in (60–120 minutes) and to the fact that some of the Restructured Clinical Scales, although regarded as clearer and easier to interpret, raised some controversies in the academic world because they have been modified compared to those in the original version.
MPT (Marital Patterns Test)
- MPT - Marital Patterns Test
This test is made up of two questionnaires (i.e. a male and a female questionnaire) with 24 pairs of items each. They measure the dominance and willingness within the couple. Its validity
Validity (statistics)
In science and statistics, validity has no single agreed definition but generally refers to the extent to which a concept, conclusion or measurement is well-founded and corresponds accurately to the real world. The word "valid" is derived from the Latin validus, meaning strong...
has been improved thanks to a revision by Scott-Heyes (1982) whose title is RSMPT - Ryle/Scott-Heyes Marital Patterns Questionnaire.
MSI (Marital Satisfaction Inventory)
- MSI - Marital Satisfaction Inventory
A 280-item inventory
Self-report inventory
A self-report inventory is a type of psychological test in which a person fills out a survey or questionnaire with or without the help of an investigator...
which evaluates marital satisfaction with regard to 12 dimensions especially concerning conventionalism, affective communication, amount of time spent together, disagreement on financial problems, disagreement on children management and sexual satisfaction. A total score of the scales provides a “global discomfort” index defined by couple dissatisfaction, whereas a reduced version of this device (made up of 44 items) shows the “indifference” degree and the “disharmony” degree of the relationship.
PEQUEST (Premature Ejaculation Questionnaire)
- PEQUEST - Premature Ejaculation Questionnaire
A 36-item self-evaluation questionnaire for evaluating premature ejaculation. The ejaculative/orgasmic behaviour is explored in its various problematic aspects: persistence, significance, frequency, situational factors, psychological reaction of both partners, techniques adopted by the patient in order to coping the problem, adaptation and interference levels of the disturbance, performance anxiety, and partner's behaviour during sexual intercourse.
PREPARE-ENRICH (Premarital Personal and Relationship Evaluation)
- PREPARE-ENRICH Inventories
This inventory
Self-report inventory
A self-report inventory is a type of psychological test in which a person fills out a survey or questionnaire with or without the help of an investigator...
is made up of 125 items, subdivided into 14 subscales, which explore sexual intercourse, personal difficulties, marital satisfaction, couple cohesion, dyadic adaptability, communication, conflict resolution, equality of the roles, children and marital life, family and friends, financial management, leisure activities, religious orientation, idealistic distortions. This inventory requires an elaborate preparation in order to be used and results from the combination of three previous scales: PREPARE - Premarital Personal and Relationship Evaluation (for couples planning to marry who do not have children); PREPARE-MC - Marriage Children (for couples planning to marry who have children, either together or from previous relationships); ENRICH - Evaluating Nurturing Relationship Issues Communication and Happiness (for married couples seeking empowerment and counselling
Counseling psychology
Counseling psychology is a psychological specialty that encompasses research and applied work in several broad domains: counseling process and outcome; supervision and training; career development and counseling; and prevention and health...
).
SAI (Sexual Arousability Inventory)
- SAI - Sexual Arousability Inventory
A 28-item questionnaire
Questionnaire
A questionnaire is a research instrument consisting of a series of questions and other prompts for the purpose of gathering information from respondents. Although they are often designed for statistical analysis of the responses, this is not always the case...
that psychometrically evaluates the level of arousability produced by sexual experiences, whereas SAI-E Sexual Arousability Inventory Expanded measures anxiety and arousability and it is meant for men and women regardless their psychosexual orientation.
SAS (Sexual Attitude Scale)
- SAS - Sexual Attitude Scale
A 25-item scale aiming at identifying subjects' attitude (liberal or conservative) towards different forms of sexuality. This questionnaire is not meant to study sexual disturbances, it just explores the subjects' attitude towards sexuality and its numerous expressions.
SBI (Sexual Behavior Inventory)
- SBI - Sexual Behavior Inventory (Males , Females )
A self-evaluation scale in two versions (male and female version). Both versions are made up of 21 items. The questionnaire evaluates the kind of involvement of subjects in heterosexual activities.
SESAMO_Win (Sexrelation Evaluation Schedule Assessment Monitoring on Windows)
- SESAMO_Win - Sexrelation Evaluation Schedule Assessment Monitoring on Windows
- Main article: SESAMOSESAMOSESAMO is the acronym of Sexrelation Evaluation Schedule Assessment Monitoring, is an Italian psychometric and psychological standardised and validated questionnaire SESAMO is the acronym of Sexrelation Evaluation Schedule Assessment Monitoring, is an Italian psychometric and psychological...
(Sexrelational Test)
Structured interview
A structured interview is a quantitative research method commonly employed in survey research. The aim of this approach is to ensure that each interview is presented with exactly the same questions in the same order...
and validated
Validity (statistics)
In science and statistics, validity has no single agreed definition but generally refers to the extent to which a concept, conclusion or measurement is well-founded and corresponds accurately to the real world. The word "valid" is derived from the Latin validus, meaning strong...
self-administering and self-evaluation questionnaire
Questionnaire
A questionnaire is a research instrument consisting of a series of questions and other prompts for the purpose of gathering information from respondents. Although they are often designed for statistical analysis of the responses, this is not always the case...
. It studies the dysfunctional aspects in individual and couple sexuality
Human sexuality
Human sexuality is the awareness of gender differences, and the capacity to have erotic experiences and responses. Human sexuality can also be described as the way someone is sexually attracted to another person whether it is to opposite sexes , to the same sex , to either sexes , or not being...
besides family, social, affective and relational aspects.
It consists of two questionnaires (i.e. a male and a female questionnaire) which are divided in two subsections each: one for singles and one for people with a partner.
The number of items in each questionnaire is variable: 135 items for singles and 173 for people with a partner. The explored dimensions are 16 for singles and 18 for people living a dyadic situation.
This questionnaire can be directly self-administered on the computer (self-assessment
Self-assessment
In social psychology, self-assessment is the process of looking at oneself in order to assess aspects that are important to one's identity. It is one of the motives that drive self-evaluation, along with self-verification and self-enhancement...
); after that the software elaborates the questionnaire and produces a report made up of 9 sections. Each of these sections has several levels of further diagnostic analysis.
A short version of this questionnaire, called Sexuality Evaluation Schedule Assessment
Psychological evaluation
A psychological evaluation or mental examination is an examination into a person's mental health by a mental health professional such as a psychologist. A psychological evaluation may result in a diagnosis of a mental illness...
Monitoring , has a lower number of items and can be administered only through the paper and pencil method.
The disadvantages of this evaluation/research tool are the time required for filling in the questionnaire and the fact that the complete Report
Case Report Form
A Case Report Form is a paper or electronic questionnaire specifically used in clinical trial research. The Case Report Form is the tool used by the sponsor of the clinical trial to collect data from each participating site...
can be elaborated only by the software.
SESII–W (Sexual Excitation/Sexual Inhibition Inventory for Women)
- SESII–W - Sexual Excitation/Sexual Inhibition Inventory for Women
This test investigates sexual arousal
Sexual arousal
Sexual arousal, or sexual excitement, is the arousal of sexual desire, during or in anticipation of sexual activity. Things that precipitate human sexual arousal are called erotic stimuli, or colloquially known as turn-ons. There are many potential stimuli, both physical or mental, which can cause...
and inhibition
Sexual inhibition
A sexual inhibition is a conscious or unconscious constraint or curtailment by a person of behaviour relating to specific sexual matters or practices or of a discussion of sexual matters....
in women through a 115-item questionnaire rated on a 4-point Likert scale.
The areas concerning sexual arousal are: Arousability (arousal and sexual stimulation); Sexual power dynamics (power dynamics in sexuality); Smell (arousing smells); Partner characteristics; Setting (unusual or unconcealed settings).
Sexual inhibition factors are: Relationship importance; Arousal contingency (arousal-related factors); Concerns about sexual function (concerns about the consequences of sexual activity).
This test is based on the conditioning of sexual response: sexual arousal is controlled by the balance of several factors, all of which contribute to arousal or inhibition.
Validation of this test is based on a sample of 655 women with an average age of 33,09. Statistical calculations have provided a good reliability measured by test-retest method and good discriminant and convergent validity
Validity (statistics)
In science and statistics, validity has no single agreed definition but generally refers to the extent to which a concept, conclusion or measurement is well-founded and corresponds accurately to the real world. The word "valid" is derived from the Latin validus, meaning strong...
determined through the consistency of the results obtained by this test with those obtained by BIS/BAS - Behavioral Inhibition Scale/Behavioral Activation Scale , SOS – Sexual Opinion Survey and SSS – Sexual Sensation Seeking .
SFQ (Sexual Functioning Questionnaire)
- SFQ - Sexual Functioning Questionnaire
A standardised
Structured interview
A structured interview is a quantitative research method commonly employed in survey research. The aim of this approach is to ensure that each interview is presented with exactly the same questions in the same order...
questionnaire which studies sexual impotence problems. It is made up of 62 items (48 of them are meant for both partners while 14 are meant exclusively for the dysfunctional patient). The scoring and the clinical evaluation must have done with the traditional method.
SHQ–R (Clarke Sex History Questionnaire for Males–Revised)
- SHQ–R - Clarke Sex History Questionnaire for Males–Revised
Clarke Sex History Questionnaire for Males was created in 1977 by some clinicians from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health is a consortium of mental health clinics at several sites in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its name in French is Centre de toxicomanie et de santé mentale...
(the former Clarke Institute of Psychiatry) in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
(Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
).
SHQ-R is a fully validated and standardised self-report questionnaire, revised in 2002. It is composed of 508 items exploring several areas of male sexuality:
I. Childhood and Adolescent Sexual Experiences (a scale to measure sexual experiences and sexual abuse
Child sexual abuse
Child sexual abuse is a form of child abuse in which an adult or older adolescent uses a child for sexual stimulation. Forms of child sexual abuse include asking or pressuring a child to engage in sexual activities , indecent exposure with intent to gratify their own sexual desires or to...
during childhood and adolescence);
II. Sexual Dysfunction (a scale which evaluates sexual dysfunction
Sexual dysfunction
Sexual dysfunction or sexual malfunction refers to a difficulty experienced by an individual or a couple during any stage of a normal sexual activity, including desire, arousal or orgasm....
s such as impotence
Erectile dysfunction
Erectile dysfunction is sexual dysfunction characterized by the inability to develop or maintain an erection of the penis during sexual performance....
, hypersexuality
Hypersexuality
Hypersexuality is extremely frequent or suddenly increased sexual urges or sexual activity. Hypersexuality is typically associated with lowered sexual inhibitions. Although hypersexuality can be caused by some medical conditions or medications, in most cases the cause is unknown...
and premature
Premature ejaculation
Premature ejaculation is a condition in which a man ejaculates earlier than he or his partner would like him to. Premature ejaculation is also known as rapid ejaculation, rapid climax, premature climax, or early ejaculation....
or retarded
Delayed ejaculation
Delayed ejaculation is the inability to ejaculate or persistent difficulty in achieving orgasm despite the presence of normal sexual desire and sexual stimulation...
ejaculation);
III. Adult Age/Gender Sexual Outlets (seven scales measuring the frequency of various sexual activities with adults, children and adolescents);
IV. Fantasy and Pornography (three scales measuring sexual fantasies involving women, men and the use of pornography);
V. Transvestism, Fetishism, and Feminine Gender Identity (three scales which evaluate personal experiences with regard to transvestism, sexual fetishes and identification with female gender traits);
VI. Courtship Disorders
Courtship disorder
Courtship disorder is a theoretical construct in sexology in which a certain set of paraphilias are seen as specific instances of anomalous courtship instincts in men. The specific paraphilias are exhibitionism, voyeurism, telephone scatologia, frotteurism, and biastophilia...
(six scales which take into consideration several aspects of “disturbed courtship”: voyeurism
Voyeurism
In clinical psychology, voyeurism is the sexual interest in or practice of spying on people engaged in intimate behaviors, such as undressing, sexual activity, or other activity usually considered to be of a private nature....
, exhibitionism
Exhibitionism
Exhibitionism refers to a desire or compulsion to expose parts of one's body – specifically the genitals or buttocks of a man or woman, or the breasts of a woman – in a public or semi-public circumstance, in crowds or groups of friends or acquaintances, or to strangers...
, obscene telephone calls
Obscene phone call
An obscene phone call is an unsolicited telephone call where a person derives sexual pleasure by using sexual or foul language to an unknown person. Making obscene telephone calls for sexual pleasure is known as telephone scatologia and is considered a form of exhibitionism...
, frotteurism
Frotteurism
Frotteurism refers to a paraphilic interest in rubbing, usually one's pelvis or erect penis, against a non-consenting person for sexual gratification. It may involve touching any part of the body including the genital area. A person who practices frotteurism is known as a frotteur...
/toucherism and sexual assault
Sexual assault
Sexual assault is an assault of a sexual nature on another person, or any sexual act committed without consent. Although sexual assaults most frequently are by a man on a woman, it may involve any combination of two or more men, women and children....
).
This test also includes two validity indicators: a “Lie scale” (insincere answers) and an “Infrequency scale” (infrequent answers).
SII (Sexual Interaction Inventory)
- SII - Sexual Interaction Inventory
A standardised
Structured interview
A structured interview is a quantitative research method commonly employed in survey research. The aim of this approach is to ensure that each interview is presented with exactly the same questions in the same order...
self-evaluation questionnaire made up of 17 items with 6 answers each. It gathers information about sexual interactions within heterosexual
Heterosexuality
Heterosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the opposite sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, heterosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, physical or romantic attractions to persons of the opposite sex";...
or homosexual
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
couples. The result is obtained through a cross evaluation of the answers both partners have separately given in their respective questionnaires.
Manual scoring of rough points, which are then converted into percentages to be used to create a diagram which shows a sexual interaction profile for each couple.
SOC (Spouse Observation Checklist)
- SOC - Spouse Observation Checklist
A 400-item checklist relating partner's behaviours to be filled in by husband and wife for two weeks.
It takes into account 12 behavioural categories: love, solidarity, consideration, sexuality, communication, couple's activities, children's care, home management, decisions about financial matters, job, personal habits and independence of both partners.
It is similar to MAP - Marital Agendas Protocol in many aspects. This type of daily diaries are chiefly used in marriage counselling
Counseling psychology
Counseling psychology is a psychological specialty that encompasses research and applied work in several broad domains: counseling process and outcome; supervision and training; career development and counseling; and prevention and health...
in order to evaluate conflict management and couple satisfaction/dissatisfaction.
SOS (Sexual Opinion Survey)
- SOS - Sexual Opinion Survey
A 21-item scale which explores subjects' attitude towards several sexual aspects: heterosexuality
Heterosexuality
Heterosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the opposite sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, heterosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, physical or romantic attractions to persons of the opposite sex";...
, homosexuality
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
, erotic fantasies
Sexual fantasy
A sexual fantasy, also called an erotic fantasy, is a fantasy or pattern of thoughts with the effect of creating or enhancing sexual feelings; in short, it is "almost any mental imagery that is sexually arousing or erotic to [an] individual"...
, sexual stimuli
Sexual stimulation
Sexual stimulation is any stimulus that leads to, enhances and maintains sexual arousal, and may lead to ejaculation and/or orgasm...
, etc.
TIPE (Test di Induzione Psico Erotica)
- TIPE – Test di Induzione Psico Erotica
The Psycho Erotic Induction Test is a projective test
Projective test
In psychology, a projective test is a personality test designed to let a person respond to ambiguous stimuli, presumably revealing hidden emotions and internal conflicts. This is different from an "objective test" in which responses are analyzed according to a universal standard...
, standardised
Structured interview
A structured interview is a quantitative research method commonly employed in survey research. The aim of this approach is to ensure that each interview is presented with exactly the same questions in the same order...
for evaluating erotic imagery. It is made up of 8 tables concerning four specific issues: situations during childhood, initiative in love relationships, competitiveness and function of the group.
WIQ (Waring Intimacy Questionnaire)
- WIQ - Waring Intimacy Questionnaire
This scale is made up of 90 items analysing 9 aspects relating couple's intimacy: sexuality, love, expressiveness, marital cohesion, couple compatibility, partners' independence, conflicts, social identity and desirability bias
Social desirability bias
Social desirability bias is the tendency of respondents to answer questions in a manner that will be viewed favorably by others. It can take the form of over-reporting good behavior or under-reporting bad behavior. The tendency poses a serious problem with conducting research with self-reports,...
. This scale seems to be reliable and free from sexual preconceptions although plethoric in conceptualising some of the items.