Multidimensional Sexual Perfectionism Questionnaire

Abstract

The Multidimensional Sexual Perfectionism Questionnaire (MSPQ) is a specialized self-report instrument developed by William E. Snell, Jr., and K. Rigdon in 1995. Its purpose is to measure five distinct psychological tendencies related to how individuals apply highly rigid and perfectionistic standards to their sexual conduct. The MSPQ provides a nuanced view of sexual perfectionism by distinguishing between standards applied to the self, those perceived from external sources (society or partner), and those applied toward the partner.

The scale can be utilized effectively in various research contexts, including correlational and experimental designs, as a pretest and posttest measure for assessing the efficacy of therapy, and as a predictive tool for understanding sexual affect, attitudes, and behaviors. The five measured dimensions include Self-oriented Sexual Perfectionism, Socially Prescribed Sexual Perfectionism, Partner-directed Sexual Perfectionism, Partner’s Self-oriented Sexual Perfectionism, and Self-directed Sexual Perfectionism from one’s partner.

Keywords

Sexual perfectionism, Multidimensional Sexual Perfectionism Questionnaire, MSPQ, self-oriented perfectionism, socially prescribed perfectionism, partner-directed perfectionism, sexual attitudes, relationship scales, sexual monitoring, self-report instrument.

Authors

William E. Snell, Jr., K. Rigdon.

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Purpose

The primary purpose of the MSPQ is to provide a comprehensive and differentiated measure of how individuals apply excessively high, rigid, or flawless standards specifically within the context of sexual conduct and relationships. It moves beyond general measures of perfectionism by focusing solely on the sexual domain and recognizing that these standards manifest across different interpersonal domains.

By dissecting sexual perfectionism into five distinct subscales, the instrument allows researchers and clinicians to identify the specific source and target of these rigid standards—whether they are self-imposed, perceived as demanded by society, or directed toward, or expected from, one’s sexual partner. This specificity is crucial for evaluating treatment outcomes and predicting maladaptive sexual behaviors or attitudes.

Construct

The MSPQ measures the construct of Multidimensional Sexual Perfectionism, which posits that perfectionistic tendencies regarding sexual performance and relationships manifest across several independent facets. These facets reflect the complex interplay between internal self-expectations and perceived external demands related to sexuality.

The five core dimensions measured are:

• Self-oriented Sexual Perfectionism: Designed to measure excessively high, rigid, and perfectionistic sexual standards that are applied strictly to oneself.
• Socially Prescribed Sexual Perfectionism: Measures the belief that society and “generalized others” impose perfectionistic sexual standards and expectations for oneself.
• Partner-directed Sexual Perfectionism: Involves the application of perfectionistic sexual standards to one’s partner.
• Partner’s Self-oriented Sexual Perfectionism: Measures the respondent’s perception that their partners impose rigid and perfectionistic sexual standards on themselves (i.e., the partners themselves).
• Self-directed Sexual Perfectionism from one’s partner: Involves the respondent’s belief that their partners are applying excessively rigid and perfectionistic sexual standards to the respondents themselves.

Validity

Preliminary evidence for the validity of the MSPQ was established through correlational findings reported by Snell and Rigdon (1995). These results indicated significant gender differences: males reported greater Self-oriented Sexual Perfectionism than females, and males also expected greater self-directed sexual perfectionism from their partners while applying similar rigid standards to their partners.

A strong pattern of similarity was found between sexual perfectionism and the tendency toward sexual monitoring. Both males and females exhibiting higher levels of sexual perfectionism—especially the Self-oriented component—reported greater concern with others’ scrutiny of their sexuality and public image.

Furthermore, the various types of sexual perfectionism measured by the MSPQ were predictably related to the four attachment styles defined by the Relationship Scales Questionnaire (Scharfe & Bartholomew, 1994). Specifically, individuals with a secure attachment style were less likely to apply perfectionistic sexual standards to themselves or their partners, and less likely to expect such standards from their partners. Conversely, a fearful attachment style was associated with both applying an excessively rigid set of sexual standards to the self and expecting those same standards from their partners.

Reliability

Preliminary evidence for the reliability, specifically the internal consistency, of the MSPQ subscales was provided through the computation of Cronbach’s alpha coefficients (Snell & Rigdon, 1995). The results demonstrated varying levels of consistency across the dimensions:

• Self-oriented Sexual Perfectionism: alpha = .71
• Socially Prescribed Sexual Perfectionism: alpha = .37
• Partner-directed Sexual Perfectionism: alpha = .67
• Partner’s Self-oriented Sexual Perfectionism: alpha = .67
• Self-directed Sexual Perfectionism from one’s partner: alpha = .75

The majority of these reliability indexes were sufficiently high to justify their use in research analyses, particularly the Self-oriented and Self-directed from partner subscales. However, the Socially Prescribed Sexual Perfectionism subscale showed a low alpha of .37 overall. Further analysis of this subscale revealed low reliability for both the non-reversed-worded items (alpha of .51) and the reverse-coded items (alpha of .40).

Factor Analysis

The MSPQ is structurally defined by five subscales, implying that the 31 scored statements load onto five distinct factors associated with the multidimensional nature of sexual perfectionism. Although detailed factor analysis results were not provided in the source material, the clear assignment of items to separate subscales validates the instrument’s intended five-factor structure.

The instrument consists of 31 statements, with items 2 through 29 contributing to the five subscale scores. Item 1 is informational, and items 30 and 31 are consistency filler items. Scoring involves averaging the responses for the relevant items within each subscale after reverse-coding statements 16 through 30, ensuring that higher scores consistently reflect greater amounts of the specific perfectionistic tendency.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-report psychological scale.

Format: 31 statements utilizing a 5-point Likert-type scale.

Language Available: English (Original development language).

Population Group: Adults reflecting on sexual relationships (current, past, or imagined).

Age Group: Typically administered to adult populations (18+).

Population Details: Respondents are instructed to base their answers on a current partner, or if none, the most recent partner, or if never sexually active, an imagined sexual relationship.

Test Methodology: Individuals indicate how characteristic each statement is using a scale of 0 (Not at all characteristic of me) to 4 (Very characteristic of me). The measure requires approximately 15 minutes to complete. Items 16 through 30 are reverse-coded prior to subscale averaging.

Keywords

Sexual standards, self-monitoring, psychological assessment, relationship dynamics, sexuality, internal consistency, test validity, self-report measures, psychometrics.

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Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Not provided in source.

Affiliation Email addresses: [email protected]

Correspondence Address: William E. Snell, Jr., Department of Psychology, Southeast Missouri State University, One University Plaza, Cape Girardeau, MO 63701.

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The MSPQ was initially developed and presented in 1995 (Snell & Rigdon). Information regarding current usage permissions, licensing, and any associated fees should be sought directly from the primary author, William E. Snell, Jr.

Reference’s

• Scharfe, E., & Bartholomew, K. (1994). Reliability and stability of adult attachment patterns. Personal Relationships, 1, 23–43.
• Snell, W. E., Jr., & Rigdon, K. (1995, April). The Sexual Perfectionism Questionnaire: Preliminary evidence for reliability and validity. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Southwestern Psychological Association, San Antonio, TX.

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Items of the Multidimensional Sexual Perfectionism Questionnaire

Instructions: Listed below are several statements that concern the topic of sexual relationships. Please read each item carefully and decide to what extent it is characteristic of you. Some of the items refer to a specific sexual relationship. Whenever possible, answer the questions with your current partner in mind. If you are not currently dating anyone, answer the questions with your most recent partner in mind. If you have never had a sexual relationship, answer in terms of what you think your responses would most likely be. Then, for each statement fill in the response on the answer sheet that indicates how much it applies to you by using the following scale:

A = Not at all characteristic of me.

B = Slightly characteristic of me.

C = Somewhat characteristic of me.

D = Moderately characteristic of me.

E = Very characteristic of me.

1. I will respond to the following items based on:

   1. A current sexual relationship.

   2. A past sexual relationship.

   3. An imagined sexual relationship.

2. I set very high standards for myself as a sexual partner.

3. Others would consider me a good sexual partner even if I’m not responsive every time.

4. My partner sets very high standards of excellence for her/himself as a sexual partner.

5. My partner expects me to be a perfect sexual partner.

6. I expect my partner to be a top-notch and competent sexual partner.

7. I must always be successful as a sexual partner.

8. People often expect more of me as a sexual partner than I am capable of giving.

9. My partner is perfectionistic in that this person expects to sexually satisfy me each and every time.

10. My partner demands nothing less than perfection of me as a sexual partner.

11. My partner should never let me down when it comes to my sexual needs.

12. One of my goals is to be a “perfect” sexual partner.

13. Most people expect me to always be an excellent sexual partner.

14. It makes my partner uneasy for him/her to be less than a perfect sexual partner.

15. My partner always wants me to try hard to sexually please him/her.

16. I cannot stand for my partner to be less than a satisfying sexual partner.

17. I seldom feel the need to be a “perfect” sexual partner.

18. Most people would regard me as okay, even if I did not perform well sexually.

19. My partner does not set very high goals for herself (himself) as a sexual partner.

20. My partner seldom pressures me to be a perfect sexual partner.

21. I do not expect perfectionism from my sexual partner.

22. I do not have to be the best sexual partner in the world.

23. In general, people would readily accept me even if I were not the greatest sex partner in the world.

24. My partner never aims at being perfect as a sexual partner.

25. My sexual partner does not have very high goals for me as a sexual partner.

26. In general, people would readily accept me even if I were not a great sex partner.

27. I do not have very high goals for myself as a sexual partner.

28. Most people don’t expect me to be perfectionistic when it comes to sex.

29. My partner does not feel that she/he has to be the best sexual partner.

30. My partner appreciates me even if I am not a perfect sexual lover. (response consistency filler item)

31. Most people don’t expect me to be perfectionistic when it comes to sex. (response consistency filler item)