Dyadic Sexual Regulation Scale

Abstract

The Dyadic Sexual Regulation Scale (DSR) is an 11-item, Likert-type instrument designed to measure an individual’s perception of their ability to regulate sexual activity within a dyadic context. Specifically, it assesses whether the regulation of sexual rewards, termination, and avoidance of aversive encounters is perceived as stemming from an internal versus an external locus of control. The scale features a seven-point response format and is available in both an expanded self-administered version and a shorter, interviewer-administered five-item version. The DSR also incorporates the concept of control flexibility, reflecting an individual’s capacity to adjust their level of control based on the specific dynamics of the social/sexual interaction.

Keywords

Dyadic Sexual Regulation Scale, DSR, locus of control, sexual health, sexual behavior, internal control, external control, psychometrics, sexual satisfaction

Authors

JOSEPH A. CATANIA

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Purpose

The primary purpose of the Dyadic Sexual Regulation Scale (DSR) is to quantify the extent to which an individual believes they possess control over their sexual interactions within a couple or partnership. This measurement is crucial for understanding how perceptions of control influence sexual behavior and outcomes, particularly concerning the initiation, maintenance, and termination of sexual activity. The DSR differentiates between individuals who perceive sexual outcomes as controllable by their own actions (internal) versus those who attribute outcomes to fate or their partner (external).

The scale was explicitly developed to measure an individual’s perceived ability to execute behaviors that achieve three specific outcomes: first, influencing the acquisition and termination of sexual rewards; second, affecting events occurring between these points; and third, preventing or avoiding undesirable or aversive sexual encounters. By focusing on these specific behavioral domains, the DSR provides a nuanced perspective on sexual agency distinct from general personality measures.

Construct

The DSR measures the psychological construct of perceived locus of control specifically applied to the dyadic sexual situation. Locus of control refers to the degree to which individuals believe that they, as opposed to external forces, have control over the outcomes of events in their lives. In the context of the DSR, a higher score reflects an internal locus of control, indicating the individual perceives themselves as highly capable of influencing and directing dyadic sexual events.

Furthermore, the scale incorporates the concept of control flexibility. This dimension acknowledges that effective sexual regulation is not solely about maximizing personal control but also involves the ability to appropriately relinquish or accept control depending on the dynamic and fluid nature of social and sexual interactions with a partner. This focus on flexibility differentiates the DSR from simpler, unidirectional measures of control.

Validity

The DSR has demonstrated evidence of validity across various studies and diverse populations. Supporting its convergent validity, the DSR showed a statistically significant correlation (r = .19, p < .05) with the established Nowicki-Strickland Adult Internal-External Control Scale (NSLC; Nowicki & Duke, 1974), confirming that it measures a related, but distinct, control construct.

Concurrent validity was supported by findings that the DSR relates significantly to various dyadic measures of sexual activity (e.g., higher frequencies of intercourse, oral sex from partner, and sexual satisfaction). Crucially, the scale was found not to be related to monadic activities, such as masturbation, thereby supporting its specific focus on the dyadic context of sexual regulation. Internality on the DSR is associated with positive outcomes, including reduced anxiety in sexual situations and higher levels of affectionate behaviors with a partner. The DSR was also found not to be related to gender, suggesting the scale measures perceived control equally across sexes.

Reliability

The reliability of the DSR has been assessed using Cronbach’s alpha and test-retest methods across multiple samples. In studies involving college-age students (Catania et al., 1984), the full 11-item scale exhibited good internal consistency, with Cronbach’s alpha values of .74 in Sample 1 (N=151) and .83 in Sample 2 (N=70). The temporal stability was also established, yielding a test-retest reliability coefficient of .77 over a two-week interval.

The shortened, five-item version of the DSR, administered to a large cohort (N=4,620) in the 1990–1991 National AIDS Behavior Survey (NABS), also demonstrated acceptable reliability, with a total sample Cronbach’s alpha of .62. Detailed psychometric characteristics, including means, standard deviations, and reliabilities, are available for this shortened form across different demographic groups, including White, Black, and Hispanic respondents, stratified by gender and education level, further supporting its robustness across diverse populations.

Factor Analysis

A principal component analysis employing varimax rotation was conducted on the DSR items using data from Sample 1 (N=151) of the college-age population study (Catania et al., 1984). This analysis strongly supported the unidimensional nature of the scale, confirming that the items coalesce around a single underlying factor.

The results indicated that the first factor accounted for an overwhelming 95% of the total variance observed in the items. Furthermore, there were no item loadings greater than .30 beyond the initial factor, confirming that the DSR effectively measures a single, cohesive construct—the perceived locus of control within dyadic sexual situations.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-report questionnaire (Likert-type scale)

Format: 11-item expanded version (self- or interviewer-administered); 5-item shortened version (interviewer-administered)

Language Available: English and Spanish

Population Group: General adult population, college students, and high HIV-risk factor groups (e.g., participants in NABS and AMEN studies).

Age Group: Adults (studied populations generally ranged from 18 to 49 years)

Population Details: Administered to varied populations including national urban probability samples constructed to adequately represent White, Black, and Hispanic ethnic groups, and heterosexual and homosexual couples.

Test Methodology: Seven-point Likert scale (1 = strongly disagree, 7 = strongly agree). Five items (2, 5, 6, 8, 10) are reverse-scored for counter-balancing purposes. Total scores range from 11 (external control) to 77 (internal control).

Keywords

Sexual agency, sexual regulation, dyadic relationships, psychological measurement, principal component analysis, sexual risk behavior, internal consistency, control flexibility

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Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: N/A

Affiliation Email addresses: N/A

Correspondence Address: JOSEPH A. CATANIA, University of California, San Francisco

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

Specific details regarding permissions and fees are not provided in the source material. The scale was initially developed and validated in research dating back to the mid-1980s (Catania, McDermott, & Wood, 1984) and was extensively utilized in large-scale public health studies during the early 1990s (Catania et al., 1992).

Reference’s

Catania, J. A., Coates, T., Kegeles, S., Thompson-Fullilove, M., Peterson, J., Marin, B., et al. (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.

Catania, J. A., Coates, T., Stall, R., Kegeles, S., Thompson-Fullilove, M., Marin, B., & Peterson, J. (1992). AIDS in Multi-Ethnic Neighborhoods (AMEN) study.

Catania, J. A., McDermott, L. J., & Wood, R. (1984). Locus of control in sexual contexts: Development and validation of the Dyadic Sexual Regulation Scale (DSR). Unpublished manuscript, University of California, San Francisco.

Nowicki, S., & Duke, M. P. (1974). A locus of control scale for college as well as noncollege adults. Journal of Personality Assessment, 38(2), 136–137.

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Items of the Dyadic Sexual Regulation Scale

Instructions: The following statements describe different things people do and feel about sex. Please tell me how much you agree or disagree with these statements.

Response Scale (7 points):

• 1 = Strongly agree
• 7 = Strongly disagree

1. I often take the initiative in beginning sexual activity.
2. If my sexual relations are not satisfying there is little I can do to improve the situation.
3. I have sexual relations with my partner as often as I would like.
4. My planning for sexual encounters leads to good sexual experiences with my partner.
5. I feel that it is difficult to get my partner to do what makes me feel good during sex.
6. I feel that my sexual encounters with my partner usually end before I want them to.
7. When I am not interested in sexual activity I feel free to reject sexual advances by my partner.
8. I want my partner to be responsible for directing our sexual encounters.
9. I find it pleasurable at times to be the active member during sexual relations while my partner takes a passive role.
10. I would feel uncomfortable bringing myself to orgasm if the stimulation my partner was providing was inadequate.
11. During some sexual encounters I find it pleasurable to be passive while my partner is the active person.

Note on Short Form: Items 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 make up the brief revised form. Items 3 and 8 are reworded in the short form, as follows: 3. You have sexual relationships as often as you like. Do you agree or disagree? 8. Your sexual partner makes most of the decisions about when the two of you will have sex. Do you agree or disagree?