Women’s Sexuality Questionnaire

Name: Women’s Sexuality Questionnaire
Rating: 5 (69 reviews)
Author: Mohammed looti

Mohammed looti

Women’s Sexuality Questionnaire

By Mohammed looti / October 23, 2025

Table of Contents

Abstract

The Women’s Sexuality Questionnaire (WSQ) is a structured interview tool utilizing rating scales, developed by Dianne L. Chambless and Diane DeMarco. It is specifically designed to provide a detailed assessment of female sexual function, focusing on the frequency and the subjective experience of orgasm, as well as the various activities and stimulation techniques that lead to it. The questionnaire is divided into three sections: Section I gathers demographic, reproductive, and genital health data to screen for potential confounding variables like drug use or dyspareunia. Section II focuses on sexual history, including masturbation, noncoital, and coital sex patterns. Section III, the core of the instrument, uses ordinal scales to measure orgasmic frequency during specific activities and rates the perceived quality of the orgasmic experience and associated stimulation.

Keywords

Female Sexuality, Orgasm Frequency, Sexual Assessment, Clitoral Stimulation, Coital Orgasm, Sexual Arousability, Psychological Scales, Structured Interview.

Authors

Dianne L. Chambless, Diane DeMarco.

Purpose

The primary purpose of the WSQ is to provide a comprehensive, detailed assessment of the dynamics of female sexual response, moving beyond simplistic measures of sexual activity. By employing a structured interview format, the instrument aims to capture nuanced information regarding the attainment of orgasm under different circumstances (e.g., with or without simultaneous clitoral stimulation during coitus).

The design of the WSQ allows researchers and clinicians to collect extensive background data, including reproductive history, substance use, and physical health issues, which are critical for identifying variables that may influence sexual function. This holistic approach ensures that any observed variance in orgasmic response can be more accurately attributed to specific behavioral patterns or psychological factors rather than unaddressed physiological or pharmaceutical interference.

Construct

The WSQ measures the multidimensional construct of female orgasmic capacity and the specific behavioral and psychological components of sexual arousal and response. This construct encompasses both objective historical data (e.g., frequency and age of onset of sexual activities) and subjective evaluative components (e.g., pleasurability and intensity ratings).

A central focus of the questionnaire is distinguishing between different modes of sexual stimulation—particularly the relative contribution of clitoral versus vaginal stimulation in achieving orgasm. By quantifying these differences and assessing the subjective quality of the orgasmic state, the WSQ provides fine-grained data useful for understanding individual differences in sexual functioning and addressing specific sexual concerns.

Validity

The WSQ items possess high face validity, meaning the questions appear directly relevant to the construct of female sexual experience and response. Construct validity was supported through a series of correlational analyses utilizing a community sample of 90 heterosexual women, with subsequent research including 12 lesbian participants.

Validation studies demonstrated that, as predicted, higher frequency of orgasm reported on the WSQ correlated significantly with higher arousal scores measured by the previously validated Sexual Arousability Inventory (SAI) (Hoon, Hoon, & Wincze, 1976; tau = .18, p < .03). Furthermore, internal consistency supporting the construct was found: higher frequency of coital orgasm correlated strongly with a greater self-reported emphasis on vaginal stimulation in reaching orgasm (tau = .50, p < .001). Conversely, higher frequency of orgasm achieved through clitoral stimulation was related to a greater emphasis on clitoral stimulation techniques (tau = -.29, p < .005). These data collectively support the construct validity of the items by confirming predictable relationships among different aspects of sexual behavior.

Reliability

Test-retest reliability was established using a sample of 38 women who were re-interviewed by a second interviewer after a median interval of six weeks (range 6 to 8 weeks). Items concerning personal history, such as the age of first intercourse and frequency of sexual behaviors, were found to be highly stable, exhibiting Pearson correlations ranging from .80 to .98.

Reliability for the ordinal scale items was assessed using Kendall’s tau. Taus for the frequency of orgasm under various stimulation conditions (e.g., coitus accompanied by clitoral stimulation, coitus without clitoral stimulation, and clitoral stimulation by partner or self) ranged from .42 to .74. Although the reliability of some frequency items was considered somewhat lower than desirable, the authors noted that this variance likely reflected true behavioral changes resulting from the reactive and educational nature of the interview process itself. Items assessing the subjective perception of intensity and pleasurability of coitus and the orgasmic experience generally reflected good reliability, with taus ranging from .57 to .87 (median tau = .78).

Factor Analysis

The original documentation does not include information on formal factor analysis of the WSQ items. The scale operates primarily as an item bank for detailed clinical and research assessment, where individual items or small groups of items derived from sexual history are used as single scores or indicators, rather than relying on a factorially derived scoring structure.

Instrument

Test Type: Structured Interview with Rating Scales

Format: Interviewer-administered; combines open-ended questions, categorical options, and ordinal scales (1–5 or 1–7 points).

Language Available: English (Original)

Population Group: Adult Women (Used with both heterosexual and lesbian women in validation studies).

Age Group: Adult

Population Details: Validation research was conducted using a community sample of 90 heterosexual women and 12 lesbians.

Test Methodology: The WSQ is designed for administration in a private, one-on-one interview setting, typically lasting 45 to 60 minutes. The interview format is crucial, as it allows the experimenter to establish rapport, clarify complex or confusing sexual terminology for the subject, and ensure the validity of responses. This methodology also provides the opportunity for subjects to receive education about sexuality, potentially leading to behavioral changes observed in retest data. Items 22 through 25 are specified as being reverse scored during analysis.

Keywords

Sexual History, Orgasmic Capacity, Sexual Behavior, Ordinal Scales, Clinical Interview, Sexual Dysfunction, Psychometrics, Chambless, DeMarco.

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Not specified in source.

Affiliation Email addresses: Contact information for Dianne L. Chambless (University of Pennsylvania) and Diane DeMarco (The American University) is available upon request for research purposes.

Correspondence Address: Correspondence concerning the WSQ should be directed to the primary author, Dianne L. Chambless.

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The Women’s Sexuality Questionnaire (WSQ), along with supplementary data regarding its reliability and validity, is available at no charge from the primary author, Dianne Chambless. The primary research cited for validation was published in 1984.

Reference’s

Chambless, D. L., & Lifshitz, J. (1984). Self-reported sexual anxiety and arousal: The Expanded Sexual Arousability Inventory. The Journal of Sex Research, 20, 241–254.

Hoon, E. F., Hoon, P. W., & Wincze, J. P. (1976). An inventory for the measurement of female sexual arousability: The SAI. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 5, 291–300.

Items of the Women’s Sexuality Questionnaire

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

Women’s Sexuality Questionnaire

Section I

Date of interview
Assessment no. Interviewer
S.S. Number
D.O.B.
Occupation (do not inquire about place of employment)
Highest grade completed
Affiliative status: Single Married Divorced Separated Cohabiting
Steady sexual partner: YES NO
Looking over your whole life, would you say your primary sexual orientation is: bisexual heterosexual lesbian
What drugs do you usually take (including alcohol, caffeine, street drugs, prescribed drugs) In what amount and how often do you take these? Are any of these taken at times you plan on having sex? If so, in what way?
What is your present method of contraception? Do you have any problems with it?
Have you ever been pregnant? YES NO

Number of full-term deliveries how long ago was each?

Number of vaginal Number of caesarean

Number of premature deliveries how long ago was each?

Number of vaginal Number of caesarean

Number of spontaneous or induced abortions how long ago was each?

how many weeks pregnant with each?

Have you ever undergone any surgery involving the vagina, other sexual organs, or organs closely related to sexual organs (i.e., anus, urethra, kidneys, bladder)? YES NO If so, please describe:
Do you have any physical problems with interfere with your sexual functioning or pleasure? YES NO If so, please explain (including chronic illnesses, infections, vaginal tears) Specifically, do you get a lot of vaginal infections, and if so, how long do they usually last?
Have you ever done exercises for the vaginal muscle? (Show a diagram) If so, explain and describe.
When not pregnant, do you ever leak urine when you cough or sneeze?

Section II

Masturbation:
1. How long ago did you begin to masturbate regularly?
2. On an average over the last 6 months, how often have you masturbated?
3. How many times would you estimate you’ve masturbated?

under ten times

10–25

26–100

101–500

over 500

How do you usually masturbate?

by inserting object into vagina

by using vibrator on external genitalia

by stimulating clitoral area with fingers, etc.

by manipulating the mons (define if necessary)

by pressure against object or pressure from thighs

by stimulating the entrance of the vagina (introitus)

other (please describe unless it makes you uncomfortable)

Do you need to be in one particular position to reach orgasm? YES NO If so, please describe:

Sex with partner excluding intercourse:
1. At what age did you begin having genital sex with another person excluding intercourse (including manual, oral stimulation, etc.)?
2. How often do you do so now?
3. Roughly how many times have you done so?
Intercourse (defined according to woman’s orientation as insertion and thrusting of penis, fingers, or objects by partner):
1. At what age did you begin having intercourse?
2. How often do you do so now?
3. How many times, roughly, have you done so?
4. What positions do you usually use?

Do you generally get simultaneous clitoral stimulation while in this/these positions? If so, how?

On the average, what is the duration of sex play (defined as prior to intercourse if you have intercourse)?

no sex play 11–19 minutes

less than 5 minutes 20 or more minutes

5–10 minutes

If you have intercourse, are you sufficiently lubricated at the time of insertion so that no artificial lubricant is needed for your comfort? YES NO If not, to what does this seem due? Likely factors are anxiety, insufficient stimulation, irritation from local contraceptives, menopause, infections, vaginal deodorant sprays, over wiping after diaphragm insertion, unlubricated condoms, postpartum estrogen imbalance (particularly likely if nursing), and oral contraceptive. In addition, intercourse may be uncomfortable despite lubrication during early experiences due to tightness of the vaginal entrance.

Section III

If you have intercourse, how long does it last on the average from the beginning of thrusting until thrusting stops? (Counts as one occasion if intercourse disrupted only long enough to change position or pause to prevent ejaculation)

Out of all occasions of intercourse how often do you come to an orgasm, with simultaneous clitoral stimulation (include both pressure and manipulation as clitoral stimulation):