Dyadic Sexual Communication Scale

Abstract

The Dyadic Sexual Communication Scale (DSC) is a psychological instrument designed to assess an individual’s perception of the communication processes within their sexual relationships. Originally consisting of 13 items, the DSC utilizes a 6-point Likert-type scale format, ranging from Disagree Strongly (1) to Agree Strongly (6). The scale was initially developed to differentiate individuals who report sexual problems from those who do not.

Subsequent shortened and modified versions of the DSC (4-item and 6-item) have been widely applied in large-scale national studies focused on sexual risk behaviors. These modified scales have proven effective in discriminating significant differences in the disclosure of extramarital sex and correlating with the incidence of multiple sexual partners, underscoring the scale’s utility in both clinical and public health research.

Keywords

Dyadic Sexual Communication Scale, DSC, Sexual Communication, Relationship Quality, Sexual Health, HIV Risk, Extramarital Sex, Psychological Assessment, Likert Scale

Authors

Joseph A. Catania

Purpose

The primary purpose of the Dyadic Sexual Communication Scale (DSC) is to quantitatively measure the perceived quality and effectiveness of communication regarding sexual matters between committed partners. The original 13-item version of the scale was developed specifically to identify and distinguish between individuals who experience clinically relevant sexual problems and those who do not, suggesting its utility as a screening tool in clinical and counseling settings.

Beyond its initial clinical application, the DSC, particularly in its shortened forms, has been utilized extensively in large epidemiological studies, such as the National AIDS Behavior Survey (NABS) and the AIDS in Multi-Ethnic Neighborhoods (AMEN) Study. In these contexts, the scale serves to correlate communication deficits with high-risk sexual behaviors, including the incidence of multiple partners and non-disclosure of extramarital sex, underscoring its relevance in public health and HIV prevention research.

Construct

The DSC measures the latent construct of Dyadic Sexual Communication, which encompasses the respondents’ subjective appraisal of the ease, openness, satisfaction, and problem-resolution capabilities concerning sexual topics with their primary partner. High scores generally reflect positive, effective, and satisfying sexual communication, while low scores indicate difficulty, avoidance, conflict, or dissatisfaction in discussing sexual issues.

The scale items cover various facets of communication, including avoidance of upsetting matters, difficulty in resolving disagreements, perceived lecturing, ease of disclosure regarding desires, and overall satisfaction with the dialogue. The subsequent factor analyses supported the measure’s conceptualization as a unitary, single-dimension construct of sexual communication quality.

Validity

The validity of the Dyadic Sexual Communication Scale has been demonstrated across several large and diverse samples. In initial validation studies (N = 500), the DSC showed strong criterion validity by successfully discriminating between groups: individuals reporting sexual problems reported significantly poorer sexual communication (Mean = 53.0, SD = 13.0) compared to those reporting no problems (Mean = 63.7, SD = 10.2; t(416) = 9.32, p = .0001).

Furthermore, the scale’s utility was confirmed in national sexual-risk studies. Poorer scores on the shortened, four-item DSC version (N = 5,900 in NABS) were correlated with significant differences in the disclosure of extramarital sex (Choi et al., 1994). In the AMEN Study, the six-item DSC version (N = 558) was significantly associated with respondents reporting two or more sexual partners, highlighting its predictive validity for high-risk behaviors relevant to HIV-risk factor groups.

Reliability

The reliability of the DSC has been consistently evaluated using Cronbach’s alpha to measure internal consistency, alongside test-retest measures. In a pilot study (N = 144 college students), the internal consistency was strong, yielding a Cronbach’s alpha of .81 for the total sample and .83 for cohabiting couples. The temporal stability was also high, with a test-retest reliability coefficient of .89.

In a larger validation study (N = 500), the 13-item scale achieved an internal consistency of Cronbach’s alpha = .87. The shortened versions showed adequate reliability for large-scale epidemiological applications: the four-item version used in the NABS study (N = 5,900) reported an alpha of .62 for the total sample, while the six-item version used in the AMEN study (N = 558) yielded an alpha of .67. Reliability was also good in a sample of adolescent females (N = 114), achieving an alpha of .77 for the six-item version.

Factor Analysis

Factor analysis of the original 13-item Dyadic Sexual Communication Scale consistently supported a single-factor structure. This finding suggests that the scale measures a unitary dimension of communication quality regarding sexual matters, rather than multiple distinct sub-constructs.

This single-dimensional structure was confirmed across multiple studies, including the initial pilot study (Catania et al., 1990) and subsequent larger validation efforts. This unidimensionality simplifies interpretation, confirming that a total summed score accurately represents the overall quality of dyadic sexual communication perceived by the respondent.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-report psychological scale (Interviewer administered)

Format: Likert-type scale, 6 points (1= Disagree Strongly, 6 = Agree Strongly). Available in 13-item (original), 6-item, and 4-item versions.

Language Available: English, Spanish

Population Group: Adults and adolescents in partnered relationships.

Age Group: Adolescents through middle adulthood (studies included ages 18–49 and 20–44).

Population Details: Administered to diverse populations, including college students, national urban probability samples designed to oversample Black and Hispanic ethnic groups, and high HIV-risk factor groups in metropolitan areas.

Test Methodology: All versions of the DSC scale are interviewer administered. Scoring involves summing across items for a total communication score. Completion time is very rapid, typically 1–2 minutes.

Keywords

Psychometrics, Sexual Health Assessment, Dyadic Relationships, Communication Deficits, AIDS Risk Behavior, Partnered Sex, Joseph A. Catania

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Not provided in source.

Affiliation Email addresses: [email protected]

Correspondence Address: Joseph A. Catania, College of Health and Human Sciences, Oregon State University, 320B Waldo Hall, Corvallis, OR 97331

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The scale was developed by Joseph A. Catania, with initial work documented in 1986 in his doctoral dissertation (Catania, 1986). The scale has been widely utilized in publicly funded large-scale studies (NABS, AMEN). Specific information regarding commercial fees or detailed permission requirements for general use is not provided in the source material.

Reference’s

• Catania, J. (1986). Help-seeking: An avenue for adult sexual development. Unpublished doctoral dissertation. University of California, San Francisco.
• Catania J., Coates, T., Golden, E., Dolicini, M., Peterson, J., Kegeles, S., Siegel, D., & Fullilove, M. (1994) Correlates of condom use among Black, Hispanic, and White heterosexuals in San Francisco: The AMEN Longitudinal Survey. AIDS Education and Prevention, 6, 12–26.
• Catania, J., Coates, T., & Kegeles, S. (1989) Predictors of condom use and multiple partnered sex among sexually active adolescent women: Implications for AIDS-related health interventions. The Journal of Sex Research, 26, 514–524.
• Catania, J., Coates, T., Kegeles, S., Thompson-Fullilove, M., Peterson, J., Marin, B., Siegel, D., & Hulley, S. (1992). Condom use in multi-ethnic neighborhoods of San Francisco: The population-based AMEN (AIDS in Multi-Ethnic Neighborhoods Study). American Journal of Public Health, 82, 284–287.
• Catania, J., Coates, T., Peterson, J., Dolcini, M., Kegeles, S., Siegel, D., Golden, E., & Fullilove, M. (1993). Changes in condom use among Black, Hispanic and White heterosexuals in San Francisco: The AMEN Longitudinal Survey. The Journal of Sex Research, 30, 121–128.
• Catania, J. A., Coates, T. J., Stall, R., Turner, H., Peterson. J., Hearst, N., Dolcini, M. M., Hudes, E., Gagnon, J., Wiley, J., & Groves, R. (1992). Prevalence of AIDS-related risk factors and condom use in the United States. Science, 258, 1101–1106.
• Catania, J., Pollack, L., McDermott, L., Qualls, S., & Cole, L. (1990). Help-seeking behaviors of people with sexual problems. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 19, 235–250.
• Choi, K. H., Catania, J. A., & Dolcini, M. M. (1994). Extramarital sex and HIV risk behavior among US adults: Results from the National AIDS Behavioral Survey. American Journal of Public Health, 84, 2003–2007.
• Dolcini, M. M., Coates. T. J., Catania, J. A., Kegeles, S. M., & Hauck, W. W. (1995). Multiple sexual partners and their psychosocial correlates: The population-based AIDS in Multi-Ethnic Neighborhoods (AMEN) Study. Health Psychology, 14, 1–10.
• Fullilove, M., Wiley, J., Fullilove, R., Golden, E., Catania, J., Peterson, J., Garrett, K., Siegel, D., Marin, G., Kegeles, S., Coates, T., & Hulley, S. (1992). Risk for AIDS in multi-ethnic neighborhoods in San Francisco, California: The population-based AMEN study. Western Journal of Medicine, 157, 32–40.

Items of the Dyadic Sexual Communication Scale

IMPORTANT: The following scale items must be preserved in their original language and must not be changed in any way.

Instructions: Now I am going to read a list of statements different people have made about discussing sex with their primary partner. As I read each one, please tell me how much you agree or disagree with it.

1. My partner rarely responds when I want to talk about our sex life.

2. Some sexual matters are too upsetting to discuss with my sexual partner.

3. There are sexual issues or problems in our sexual relationship that we have never discussed.

4. My partner and I never seem to resolve our disagreements about sexual matters.

5. Whenever my partner and I talk about sex, I feel like she or he is lecturing me.

6. My partner often complains that I am not very clear about what I want sexually.

7. My partner and I have never had a heart to heart talk about our sex life together.

8. My partner has no difficulty in talking to me about his or her sexual feelings and desires.

9. Even when angry with me, my partner is able to appreciate my views on sexuality.

10. Talking about sex is a satisfying experience for both of us.

11. My partner and I can usually talk calmly about our sex life.

12. I have little difficulty in telling my partner what I do or don’t do sexually.

13. I seldom feel embarrassed when talking about the details of our sex life with my partner.

Note. The short, four-item questionnaire used in the NABS study includes Items 2, 8, 10, and 12. The six-item version used in the AMEN and adolescent study includes Items 1, 2, 3, 8, 10, and 12. Questions in the original study have been modified for respondents who participated in subsequent studies.

The exact wording of the shortened, four-item versions of the DSC scale are as follows: 1. Do you find some sexual matters too difficult to discuss with your spouse? 2. Does your spouse have difficulty in talking to you about what he/she likes during sex? 3. Is talking about sex with your spouse fun for the both of you? 4. Do you find that it is easy for you to tell your spouse what you do or do not like to do during sex?

The exact wording of the six-item versions of the DSC scale is as follows: 1. I find some sexual matters are too upsetting to talk about with my primary partner. 2. I think it is difficult for my primary partner to tell me what (he/she) likes to do sexually. 3. It is easy for me to tell my primary partner what I do or don’t like to do during sex. 4. My primary partner hardly ever talks to me when I want to talk about our sex life. 5. My primary partner really cares about what I think about sex. 6. Talking about sex with my primary partner is usually fun for the both of us.