Multidimensional Sexual Self-Concept Questionnaire

Abstract

The Multidimensional Sexual Self-Concept Questionnaire (MSSCQ), developed by William E. Snell, Jr. (1995), is a comprehensive, objective self-report instrument designed to measure the psychological aspects of human sexuality. Consisting of 100 items, the MSSCQ assesses 20 distinct dimensions of an individual’s sexual self-concept. Responses are collected using a 5-point Likert-type scale, ranging from “not at all characteristic of me” (0) to “very characteristic of me” (4).

The instrument provides detailed scores across various domains, including self-perception, motivation, control beliefs, and emotional responses related to sexual life. The scores derived from the 20 subscales can be utilized as measures of individual differences in sexuality-related constructs or as dependent variables in predictive research concerning sexual health behaviors.

Keywords

Multidimensional Sexual Self-Concept Questionnaire, MSSCQ, Human Sexuality, Sexual Self-Concept, Sexual Anxiety, Sexual Self-Efficacy, Sexual Esteem, Sexual Satisfaction, Sexual Depression, Psychological Assessment, Self-Report.

Authors

William E. Snell, Jr.

Purpose

The primary purpose of the MSSCQ is to provide an objective, standardized method for measuring a broad spectrum of psychological tendencies related to an individual’s sexuality. Unlike instruments focusing on sexual behavior alone, the MSSCQ aims to capture the cognitive, affective, and motivational aspects of the sexual self-concept, offering a highly nuanced profile of an individual’s orientation toward their sexual life.

The scale was developed to support research exploring the complex relationship between psychological factors and sexual health outcomes, such as contraceptive use, risk avoidance, and overall sexual satisfaction.

Construct

The MSSCQ is rooted in a multidimensional view of self-concept, positing that an individual’s sexuality is composed of 20 distinct, yet interrelated, psychological dimensions. These dimensions collectively form the core construct measured by the instrument:

1. Sexual Anxiety: The tendency to feel tension, discomfort, and anxiety regarding the sexual aspects of one’s life.
2. Sexual Self-Efficacy: The belief in one’s ability to deal effectively with the sexual aspects of oneself.
3. Sexual Consciousness: The tendency to think and reflect about the nature of one’s own sexuality.
4. Motivation to Avoid Risky Sex: The motivation and desire to avoid unhealthy patterns of risky sexual behaviors (e.g., unprotected sexual behavior).
5. Chance/Luck Sexual Control: The belief that the sexual aspects of one’s life are determined by chance and luck considerations.
6. Sexual Preoccupation: The tendency to think about sex to an excessive degree.
7. Sexual Assertiveness: The tendency to be assertive about the sexual aspects of one’s life.
8. Sexual Optimism: The expectation that the sexual aspects of one’s life will be positive and rewarding in the future.
9. Sexual Problem Self-Blame: The tendency to blame oneself when the sexual aspects of one’s life are unhealthy, negative, or undesirable.
10. Sexual Monitoring: The tendency to be aware of the public impression which one’s sexuality makes on others.
11. Sexual Motivation: The motivation and desire to be involved in a sexual relationship.
12. Sexual Problem Management: The tendency to believe that one has the capacity/skills to effectively manage and handle any sexual problems that one might develop or encounter.
13. Sexual Esteem: A generalized tendency to positively evaluate one’s own capacity to engage in healthy sexual behaviors and to experience one’s sexuality in a satisfying and enjoyable way.
14. Sexual Satisfaction: The tendency to be highly satisfied with the sexual aspects of one’s life.
15. Power-Other Sexual Control: The belief that the sexual aspects of one’s life are controlled by others who are more powerful and influential than oneself.
16. Sexual Self-Schemata: A cognitive framework that organizes and guides the processing of information about the sexual-related aspects of oneself.
17. Fear of Sex: A fear of engaging in sexual relations with another individual.
18. Sexual Problem Prevention: The belief that one has the ability to prevent oneself from developing any sexual problems or disorders.
19. Sexual Depression: The experience of feelings of sadness, unhappiness, and depression regarding one’s sex life.
20. Internal Sexual Control: The belief that the sexual aspects of one’s life are determined by one’s own personal control.

Validity

Evidence for the validity of the MSSCQ is derived from studies examining the predictable relationships between its subscales and real-world sexual health behaviors, particularly contraceptive use among university students (Snell, 1995). The findings demonstrated expected correlations, though these relationships often differed significantly between genders, underscoring the importance of the multidimensional approach.

For males, reliable, effective contraception history was negatively associated with sexual anxiety, chance/luck sexual control, sexual fear, and sexual depression. It was positively associated with sexual self-efficacy, sexual optimism, sexual motivation, sexual esteem, sexual satisfaction, and sexual self-schemata. For females, effective contraception use was negatively associated with sexual fear, sexual depression, and internal sexual control, but positively associated with sexual self-efficacy, sexual assertiveness, sexual motivation, sexual satisfaction, and sexual self-schemata. Additionally, males reported higher levels of chance/luck sexual control, sexual preoccupation, sexual problems self-blame, and sexual motivation compared to females, while females reported greater motivation to avoid risky sexual behavior and fear of sexual relations.

Reliability

The internal consistency of the 20 subscales was assessed using Cronbach alpha coefficients. The study sample consisted of 473 participants (302 females, 170 males, 1 unspecified) drawn primarily from lower division psychology courses at a midwestern university, with 85% of the sample aged between 16 and 25 years.

Based on five items per subscale, the alpha coefficients for the 20 subscales ranged from .72 to .94, with the individual coefficients being: .84, .85, .78, .72, .88, .94, .84, .78, .84, .84, .89, .84, .88, .91, .85, .87, .85, .85, .85, and .76. These values confirm that the MSSCQ subscales possess more than adequate internal consistency for research use.

Factor Analysis

Although the provided source content does not detail the specific factor analytic procedures used, the structure of the MSSCQ is inherently multidimensional, relying on 20 distinct subscales, each comprising five items. This robust structure suggests that the instrument’s development involved rigorous psychometric testing, likely utilizing factor analysis (such as Exploratory or Confirmatory Factor Analysis) to confirm that the 20 theoretical constructs are empirically separable and measure distinct psychological components of the sexual self-concept.

Instrument

Test Type: Objective Self-Report Questionnaire

Format: 100 items rated on a 5-point Likert-type scale.

Language Available: English (Original)

Population Group: Adults (Primarily validated on university students)

Age Group: Typically 16–25 years for initial validation, suitable for general adult populations.

Population Details: The initial validation sample consisted of 473 university students (302 females, 170 males). Responses are marked on separate machine-scoreable answer sheets.

Test Methodology: Respondents indicate how characteristic each statement is of them, using a scale where 0 = Not at all characteristic of me, and 4 = Very characteristic of me. Scores are calculated by averaging the items within each of the 20 subscales after reverse-coding specified items. The administration usually requires approximately 45–60 minutes to complete.

Keywords

Sexual Health, Psychometrics, Self-Efficacy, Sexual Control, Sexual Assertiveness, Psychological Measurement, Sexual Attitudes, Sexual Behavior, Risk Avoidance, Contraceptive Use.

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Not specified in source content.

Affiliation Email addresses: [email protected]

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

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

Test Year: 1995

Permissions and Fees: Information regarding permissions, licensing fees, and availability must be obtained by contacting the author, William E. Snell, Jr., directly.

Reference’s

• Fisher, T. D., & Snell, W. E., Jr. (1995). Validation of the Multidimensional Sexuality Questionnaire. Unpublished manuscript, The Ohio University at Mansfield.

• Snell, W. E., Jr. (1995, April). The Extended Multidimensional Sexuality Questionnaire: Measuring psychological tendencies associated with human sexuality. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Southwestern Psychological Association, Houston, TX.

• Snell, W. E., Jr., Fisher, T. D., & Miller, R. S. (1991). Development of the Sexual Awareness Questionnaire: Components, reliability, and validity. Annals of Sex Research, 4, 65–92.

• 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. The Journal of Sex Research, 29, 261–273.

• Snell, W. E., Jr., Fisher, T. D., & Walters, A. S. (1993). The Multidimensional Sexuality Questionnaire: An objective self-report measure of psychological tendencies associated with human sexuality. Annals of Sex Research, 6, 27–55.

• Snell, W. E., Jr., & Papini, D. R. (1989). The Sexuality Scale: An instrument to measure sexual-esteem, sexual-depression, and sexual-preoccupation. The Journal of Sex Research, 26, 256–263.

Items of the Multidimensional Sexual Self-Concept Questionnaire

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

Instructions: The items in this questionnaire refer to people’s sexuality. Please read each item carefully and decide to what extent it is characteristic of you. Give each item a rating of 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.

Note: Remember to respond to all items, even if you are not completely sure. Your answers will be kept in the strictest confidence. Also, please be honest in responding to these statements.

1. I feel anxious when I think about the sexual aspects of my life.
2. I have the ability to take care of any sexual needs and desires that I may have.
3. I am very aware of my sexual feelings and needs.
4. I am motivated to avoid engaging in “risky” (i.e., unprotected) sexual behavior.
5. The sexual aspects of my life are determined mostly by chance happenings.
6. I think about sex “all the time.”
7. I’m very assertive about the sexual aspects of my life.
8. I expect that the sexual aspects of my life will be positive and rewarding in the future.
9. I would be to blame if the sexual aspects of my life were not going very well.
10. I notice how others perceive and react to the sexual aspects of my life.
11. I’m motivated to be sexually active.
12. If I were to experience a sexual problem, I myself would be in control of whether this improved.
13. I derive a sense of self-pride from the way I handle my own sexual needs and desires.
14. I am satisfied with the way my sexual needs are currently being met.
15. My sexual behaviors are determined largely by other more powerful and influential people.
16. Not only would I be a good sexual partner, but it’s quite important to me that I be a good sexual partner.
17. I am afraid of becoming sexually involved with another person.
18. If I am careful, then I will be able to prevent myself from having any sexual problems.
19. I am depressed about the sexual aspects of my life.
20. My sexuality is something that I am largely responsible for.
21. I worry about the sexual aspects of my life.
22. I am competent enough to make sure that my sexual needs are fulfilled.
23. I am very aware of my sexual motivations and desires.
24. I am motivated to keep myself from having any “risky” sexual behavior (e.g., exposure to sexual diseases).
25. Most things that affect the sexual aspects of my life happen to me by accident.
26. I think about sex more than anything else.
27. I’m not very direct about voicing my sexual needs and preferences. (R)
28. I believe that in the future the sexual aspects of my life will be healthy and positive.
29. If the sexual aspects of my life were to go wrong, I would be the person to blame.
30. I’m concerned with how others evaluate my own sexual beliefs and behaviors.
31. I’m motivated to devote time and effort to sex.
32. If I were to experience a sexual problem, my own behavior would determine whether I improved.
33. I am proud of the way I deal with and handle my own sexual desires and needs.
34. I am satisfied with the status of my own sexual fulfillment.
35. My sexual behaviors are largely controlled by people other than myself (e.g., my partner, friends, family).
36. Not only would I be a skilled sexual partner, but it’s very important to me that I be a skilled sexual partner.
37. I have a fear of sexual relationships.
38. I can pretty much prevent myself from developing sexual problems by taking good care of myself.
39. I am disappointed about the quality of my sex life.
40. The sexual aspects of my life are determined in large part by my own behavior.
41. Thinking about the sexual aspects of my life often leaves me with an uneasy feeling.
42. I have the skills and ability to ensure rewarding sexual behaviors for myself.
43. I tend to think about my own sexual beliefs and attitudes.
44. I want to avoid engaging in sex where I might be exposed to sexual diseases.
45. Luck plays a big part in influencing the sexual aspects of my life.
46. I tend to be preoccupied with sex.
47. I am somewhat passive about expressing my own sexual desires. (R)
48. I do not expect to suffer any sexual problems or frustrations in the future.
49. If I were to develop a sexual disorder, then I would be to blame for not taking good care of myself.
50. I am quick to notice other people’s reactions to the sexual aspects of my own life.
51. I have a desire to be sexually active.
52. If I were to become sexually maladjusted, I myself would be responsible for making myself better.
53. I am pleased with how I handle my own sexual tendencies and behaviors.
54. The sexual aspects of my life are personally gratifying to me.
55. My sexual behavior is determined by the actions of powerful others (e.g., my partner, friends, family).
56. Not only could I relate well to a sexual partner, but it’s important to me that I be able to do so.
57. I am fearful of engaging in sexual activity.
58. If just I look out for myself, then I will be able to avoid any sexual problems in the future.
59. I feel discouraged about my sex life.
60. I am in control of and am responsible for the sexual aspects of my life.
61. I worry about the sexual aspects of my life.
62. I am able to cope with and to handle my own sexual needs and wants.
63. I’m very alert to changes in my sexual thoughts, feelings, and desires.
64. I really want to prevent myself from being exposed to sexual diseases.
65. The sexual aspects of my life are largely a matter of (good or bad) fortune.
66. I’m constantly thinking about having sex.
67. I do not hesitate to ask for what I want in a sexual relationship.
68. I will probably experience some sexual problems in the future. (R)
69. If I were to develop a sexual problem, then it would be my own fault for letting it happen.
70. I’m concerned about how the sexual aspects of my life appear to others.
71. It’s important to me that I involve myself in sexual activity.
72. If I developed any sexual problems, my recovery would depend in large part on what I myself would do.
73. I have positive feelings about the way I approach my own sexual needs and desires.
74. The sexual aspects of my life are satisfactory, compared to most people’s.
75. In order to be sexually active, I have to conform to other more powerful individuals.
76. I am able to “connect” well with a sexual partner, and it’s important to me that I am able to do so.
77. I don’t have much fear about engaging in sex. (R)
78. I will be able to avoid any sexual problems, if I just take good care of myself.
79. I feel unhappy about my sexual experiences.
80. The main thing which affects the sexual aspects of my life is what I myself do.
81. I feel nervous when I think abut the sexual aspects of my life.
82. I have the capability to take care of my own sexual needs and desires.
83. I am very aware of the sexual aspects of myself (e.g. habits, thoughts, beliefs).
84. I am really motivated to avoid any sexual activity that might expose me to sexual diseases.
85. The sexual aspects of my life are a matter of fate (destiny).
86. I think about sex the majority of the time.
87. When it comes to sex, I usually ask for what I want.
88. I anticipate that in the future the sexual aspects of my life will be frustrating. (R)
89. If something went wrong with my own sexuality, then it would be my own fault.
90. I’m aware of the public impression created by my own sexual behaviors and attitudes.‌‌
91. I strive to keep myself sexually active.
92. If I developed a sexual disorder, my recovery would depend on how I myself dealt with the problem.
93. I feel good about the way I express my own sexual needs and desires.
94. I am satisfied with the sexual aspects of my life.
95. My sexual behavior is mostly determined by people who have influence and control over me.
96. Not only am I capable of relating to a sexual partner, but it’s important to me that I relate very well.
97. I’m not afraid of becoming sexually active. (R)
98. If I just pay careful attention, I’ll be able to prevent myself from having any sexual problems.
99. I feel sad when I think about my sexual experiences.
100. My sexuality is something that I myself am in charge of.
101. I responded to the above items based on:

1. A current relationship.
2. A past close relationship.
3. An imagined close relationship.