Sexuality Scale (SS)

Abstract

The Sexuality Scale (SS) is a widely utilized 30-item self-report instrument designed for the comprehensive psychological assessment of attitudes and subjective feelings toward human sexuality. Developed by William E. Snell Jr. and Dennis R. Papini, the scale provides a robust, multidimensional measure of an individual’s sexual self-concept across three theoretically distinct, yet correlated, dimensions: Sexual-Esteem, Sexual-Depression, and Sexual-Preoccupation.

The SS utilizes a 5-point Likert scale response format, prompting respondents to indicate their level of agreement or disagreement with statements concerning various facets of their sexual attitudes and experiences. This instrument is highly valued in academic research, sexology, counseling, and clinical psychology for its ability to quantify both positive and negative components of an individual’s relationship with their own sexuality.

Keywords

Sexuality Scale (SS), Sexual Esteem, Sexual Depression, Sexual Preoccupation, Sexual Attitudes, Psychometrics, Psychological Assessment, Sex Research, Confidence, Sexual Competence, Sexual Self-Concept.

Authors

William E. Snell Jr., Dennis R. Papini, Terri D. Fisher, Toni Schuh

Purpose

The primary purpose of the Sexuality Scale is to capture the subjective, cognitive, and affective components of an individual’s orientation toward their own sexuality. It was specifically developed to offer a more nuanced assessment than traditional measures, moving beyond simple checklists of sexual behaviors or general relationship satisfaction scales to focus on self-appraisals and specific emotional responses tied to sexual life.

The instrument provides specific, quantifiable scores for positive self-regard (Sexual-Esteem) and negative affect (Sexual-Depression), enabling researchers to rigorously investigate how these core factors relate to broader psychological well-being, interpersonal relationship quality, and various sexual health outcomes. Additionally, the Sexual-Preoccupation subscale provides essential insight into the cognitive salience and intensity of sexual thoughts, which is relevant for research concerning hypersexuality, compulsive sexual behavior, or sexual fantasy life.

Construct

The SS is fundamentally based on a tripartite model of sexual self-concept, designed to measure three core psychological constructs that collectively define an individual’s subjective experience of their sexuality:

• Sexual-Esteem: This dimension reflects an individual’s positive subjective evaluation of their sexual self. It encompasses feelings of adequacy, skill, confidence, and overall satisfaction concerning their capabilities and experiences as a sexual partner. High scores are indicative of a strong, healthy, and positive sexual self-concept.
• Sexual-Depression: This dimension measures negative affective states specifically related to sexuality. This includes feelings of sadness, unhappiness, disappointment, low confidence, and distress regarding one’s sexual life, identity, or performance. High scores on this subscale suggest significant emotional dissatisfaction or clinical distress.
• Sexual-Preoccupation: This dimension assesses the frequency, intensity, and pervasive nature of cognitive focus on sexual matters. It measures the extent to which an individual dedicates mental energy to thinking about sex, engaging in sexual fantasies, or planning sexual activity.

Validity

The psychometric properties of the Sexuality Scale have been rigorously established through multiple foundational studies, most notably the 1989 and 1992 publications by Snell and his colleagues. Evidence for construct validity is robust, confirmed by factor analysis that consistently supports the intended three-factor structure across diverse research samples, affirming that the SS measures the theoretical constructs it purports to measure.

Criterion validity has been demonstrated through meaningful correlations with related measures. For example, high scores on Sexual-Esteem consistently correlate positively with measures of global self-esteem and relationship quality. Conversely, high scores on Sexual-Depression show significant positive correlations with general measures of depression, anxiety, and loneliness. Crucially, the three subscales maintain sufficient discriminant validity, confirming that while related, they are measuring distinct and separable aspects of the sexual self-concept.

Reliability

The SS demonstrates high levels of reliability, particularly concerning internal consistency. Across various research populations, Alpha coefficients (Cronbach’s alpha) for the subscales are consistently reported in the acceptable to excellent range, typically falling between .80 and .90. This high homogeneity indicates that the items within each subscale reliably converge to measure the intended construct.

Furthermore, test-retest reliability has been successfully established over short intervals. This stability suggests that the scores obtained from the SS reflect enduring psychological traits or stable orientations toward sexuality, rather than transient mood states or temporary fluctuations in attitude.

Factor Analysis

The multidimensional structure of the Sexuality Scale has been strongly confirmed through initial and subsequent factor analyses. Both Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) consistently support the extraction of three distinct, though moderately correlated, factors: Sexual-Esteem, Sexual-Depression, and Sexual-Preoccupation. This clear factor loading provides critical empirical support for the underlying theoretical model proposed by Snell and Papini, distinguishing the SS as a powerful and nuanced measure capable of assessing positive sexual affect, negative sexual affect, and cognitive salience simultaneously.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-Report Questionnaire / Psychological Assessment Scale

Format: 30 items responded to using a 5-point Likert scale.

Language Available: Primarily English (translations may exist in subsequent cross-cultural research).

Population Group: General population; utilized extensively in university student samples, academic research, and clinical settings.

Age Group: Adolescents and Adults (typically 18+).

Population Details: The scale was originally validated on undergraduate student samples, primarily within the United States. Its application has since expanded globally across diverse populations.

Test Methodology: Respondents indicate their level of agreement or disagreement with each statement based on a 5-point scale. The original scoring key is: 0 = Agree; 1 = Slightly agree; 2 = Neither; 3 = Slightly disagree; 4 = Disagree. Scoring involves summing or averaging item scores for each of the three subscales, with reverse scoring applied to specific items to ensure that higher scores consistently reflect a greater presence of the dimension being measured (e.g., higher sexual esteem or greater sexual preoccupation).

Keywords

Sexuality Scale (SS), Sexual Esteem, Sexual Depression, Sexual Preoccupation, Sexual Attitudes, Psychometrics, Psychological Assessment, Sexual Competence, Affective Assessment.

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: N/A (Information not provided in source material)

Affiliation Email addresses: N/A (Information not provided in source material)

Correspondence Address: Inquire with William E. Snell Jr. (Current affiliation details should be sought through academic databases and institutional directories).

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The initial version of the scale and its theoretical foundation were published in 1989 (Snell & Papini). Further crucial validation and reliability data were published in 1992 (Snell, Fisher, & Schuh). As the scale is published in established peer-reviewed journals, researchers generally require permission from the copyright holder (typically the journal, The Journal of Sex Research) or the primary author for large-scale or commercial use. Academic researchers utilizing the instrument for non-commercial purposes are typically required to cite the original source materials.

Reference’s

• Snell, W. E., Jr., & Papini, D. (1989). The Sexuality Scale (SS): An instrument to measure sexual-esteem, sexual-depression, and sexual-preoccupation. The Journal of Sex Research, 26(2), 256-263.
• Snell, W. E., Jr., Fisher, T. D., & Schuh, T. (1992). Reliability and validity of the Sexuality Scale: A measure of sexual-esteem, sexual-depression, and sexual-preoccupation. Journal of Sex Research, 29(2), 261-275.
• Snell, W. E., Jr. (in press). The Sexuality Scale. In C. M. Davis, W. L. Yarber, and S. L. Davis (Eds.), Handbook of sexuality-related measures. Newbury Park: Sage.

Items of the Sexuality Scale (SS)

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

INSTRUCTIONS: The statements listed below describe certain attitudes toward human sexuality which different people may have. As such‚ there are no right or wrong answers‚ only personal responses. For each item you will be asked to indicate how much you agree or disagree with the statement listed in that item. Use the following scale to provide your responses:

1. I am a good sexual partner.

2. I am depressed about the sexual aspects of my life.

3. I think about sex all the time.

4. I would rate my sexual skill quite highly.

5. I feel good about my sexuality.

6. I think about sex more than anything else.

7. I am better at sex than most other people.

8. I am disappointed about the quality of my sex life.

9. I don’t daydream about sexual situations.

10. I sometimes have doubts about my sexual competence.

11. Thinking about sex makes me happy.

12. I tend to be preoccupied with sex.

13. I am not very confident in sexual encounters.

14. I derive pleasure and enjoyment from sex.

15. I’m constantly thinking about ha‎ving sex.

16. I think of myself as a very good sexual partner.

17. I feel down about my sex life.

18. I think about sex a great deal of the time.

19. I would rate myself low as a sexual partner.

20. I feel unhappy about my sexual relationships.

21. I seldom think about sex.

22. I am confident about myself as a sexual partner.

23. I feel pleased with my sex life.

24. I hardly ever fantasize about ha‎ving sex.

25. I am not very confident about my sexual skill.

26. I feel sad when I think about my sexual experiences.

27. I probably think about sex less often than most people.

28. I sometimes doubt my sexual competence.

29. I am not discouraged about sex.

30. I don’t think about sex very often.