Sexual Self-Efficacy Scale-Erectile Functioning (SSES-E)

Abstract

The Sexual Self-Efficacy Scale-Erectile Functioning (SSES-E) is a specialized, 25-item psychometric instrument developed in 1985 by Libman, Rothenberg, Fichten, and Amsel. Its primary function is to quantify an individual’s perceived confidence, or self-efficacy, regarding their sexual performance, with a specific focus on the ability to achieve and maintain an adequate erection for satisfying sexual activity.

The scale employs a confidence rating system ranging from 10 (quite uncertain) to 100 (certain). It assesses a broad spectrum of sexual interactions, covering physiological responses, cognitive elements, and essential behavioral skills such as initiating sex and partner communication. The SSES-E is widely utilized in clinical and research settings focused on male sexual dysfunction, particularly erectile dysfunction, and uniquely allows for parallel dyadic assessment, gathering confidence ratings from both the male participant and his female partner.

Keywords

Sexual Self-Efficacy, Erectile Functioning, Sexual Confidence, Psychometric Scale, Erectile Dysfunction, Dyadic Assessment, Libman, Fichten, Self-report Inventory.

Authors

Libman, E., Rothenberg, I., Fichten, C. S., Amsel, R.

Purpose

The fundamental purpose of the SSES-E is to provide a standardized, quantitative measure of perceived sexual self-efficacy related to erectile performance and overall sexual interaction competence. The scale is theoretically grounded in social cognitive theory, specifically the construct of self-efficacy, which posits that an individual’s belief in their capacity to successfully execute required behaviors significantly impacts their actual performance and persistence, especially when facing performance pressure or sexual dysfunction.

The instrument is designed to generate a comprehensive profile of a male participant’s confidence across the entire sexual response cycle, including anticipation, foreplay, coital activity, and post-coital satisfaction. Furthermore, by including items related to non-coital sexual activities and effective communication, the SSES-E recognizes and assesses competence in domains beyond penetrative intercourse, offering a holistic view of sexual confidence and satisfaction.

Construct

The SSES-E measures sexual self-efficacy, which is defined within this context as the individual’s internal belief in their ability to successfully execute the necessary cognitive, emotional, and physical steps required to achieve sexual satisfaction, focusing heavily on the capacity to obtain and sustain an adequate erection.

This construct is inherently multidimensional, encompassing several key domains beyond mere physical performance. These critical areas measured by the scale include:

• Confidence in physiological erectile response (e.g., achieving a firm erection).
• Confidence in maintaining an erection throughout different stages of sexual activity.
• Interpersonal confidence, which involves skills like initiating sexual activities, feeling sexually desirable to the partner, and communicating sexual needs effectively.
• Confidence in managing and mitigating sexual anxiety or performance pressure during intimate encounters.

Validity

While the initial published reports may not explicitly detail specific criterion or concurrent validity indices, the development process of the SSES-E supports strong face validity and content validity. The scale items were meticulously designed to directly reflect behaviors and interactions crucial to erectile function and general sexual confidence.

Further evidence supporting the scale’s construct homogeneity is derived from its exceptional internal consistency measures, as detailed in the reliability section. The high correlation between items suggests they are consistently measuring the same underlying construct of sexual self-efficacy.

Reliability

The SSES-E has demonstrated consistently high levels of reliability, confirming its stability across different populations (dysfunctional vs. control) and over time.

Internal Consistency (Cronbach’s Alpha): Initial psychometric evaluation yielded high coefficient alpha values, indicating excellent internal consistency across all groups tested:

• Dysfunctional Males: 0.92
• Female Partners (Dysfunctional Group): 0.94
• Control (Non-dysfunctional) Males: 0.92
• Female Partners (Control Group): 0.86

A subsequent general calculation of the Cronbach’s alpha coefficient for the entire scale indicated an overall value of 0.95, confirming its robustness as a measure of a unified construct.

Test-Retest Reliability: Stability was assessed over a one-month interval using the control group participants. The resulting test-retest reliability coefficients demonstrated exceptional consistency: 0.98 for males and 0.97 for females.

Factor Analysis

The internal structure of the SSES-E has been explored through factor analysis, which provided empirical support for the scale’s hypothesized multidimensional nature. The analysis successfully extracted five distinct factors from the 25 items.

These five extracted factors were also found to be highly reliable as subscales, with their internal consistency coefficients (Cronbach’s alpha) ranging from 0.82 to 0.91. This finding confirms that the SSES-E measures not just a singular dimension of confidence, but several reliable, distinct components related to erectile functioning and sexual interaction.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-report inventory (Confidence Scale)

Format: 25 items rated on a 10-point confidence scale.

Language Available: English (Original; translations into other languages may exist but are not confirmed in the primary literature).

Population Group: Adult males experiencing sexual difficulties (clinical/dysfunctional group) and control/non-clinical adult males. The scale is also structured to include parallel ratings provided by their female partners (a dyadic measure).

Age Group: Adult.

Population Details: The initial validation sample included male participants presenting with erectile difficulties alongside a non-clinical control group, along with their respective female partners to provide collateral data.

Test Methodology: Respondents are required to rate their perceived level of confidence in successfully performing each of the 25 sexual behaviors described in the scale items. The confidence scale utilizes steps of 10, ranging from 10 (indicating quite uncertain) to 100 (indicating certain).

The scoring utilizes the following descriptive anchors:

Confidence Scale: quite uncertain=10, 20, 30, 40, 50 moderately certain 60, 70, 80, 90, 100= certain

Keywords

Psychological Assessment, Sexual Dysfunction, Confidence, Self-Efficacy, Psychometrics, Test-Retest Reliability, Cronbach’s Alpha, Dyadic Measure, Erectile Difficulties.

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Not provided in source.

Affiliation Email addresses: Not provided in source.

Correspondence Address: Not provided in source.

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

Test Year: 1985 (Year of initial publication in the Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy).

Permissions and Fees: Information regarding current licensing, usage permissions, or applicable fees must be obtained by contacting the primary authors (Libman, Rothenberg, Fichten, or Amsel) or the journal publisher directly.

The original instrument can be found within the publication “Sexual Self-Efficacy Scale-Erectile Functioning” on pages 559-560. The original PDF can be downloaded here: http://adaptech.dawsoncollege.qc.ca/cfichten/Fichten-2011-SSES-E.pdf and here: http://www.adaptech.org/cfichten/abSexualSelfEfficacyScaleErectileFunctioning1988FT.pdf

Reference’s

Libman, E., Rothenberg, I., Fichten, C. S., & Amsel, R. (1985). The SSES-E: A measure of sexual self-efficacy in erectile functioning. Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy, 11, 233-244.

Additional psychometric data referenced from: http://ijpcp.iums.ac.ir/files/site1/user_files_350e23/admin-A-10-1-462-f795b45.pdf

Items of the Sexual Self-Efficacy Scale-Erectile Functioning (SSES-E)

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

1. Anticipate (think about) ha‎ving intercourse without fear or anxiety.
2. Get an erection by masturbating when alone.
3. Get an erection during foreplay when both partners are clothed.
4. Get an erection during foreplay while both partners are nude.
5. Regain an erection if it is lost during foreplay.
6. Get an erection sufficient to begin intercourse.
7. Keep an erection during intercourse until orgasm is reached.
8. Regain an erection if it is lost during intercourse.
9. Get an erection sufficient for intercourse within a reasonable period of time.
10. Engage in intercourse for as long as desired without ejaculating.
11. Stimulate the partner to orgasm by means other than intercourse.
12. Feel sexually desirable to the partner.
13. Feel comfortable about one’s sexuality.
14. Enjoy a sexual encounter with the partner without ha‎ving intercourse.
15. Anticipate a sexual encounter without feeling obliged to have intercourse.
16. Be interested in sex.
17. Initiate Sexual activities.
18. Refuse a sexual advance by the partner.
19. Ask the partner to provide the type and amount of sexual stimulation needed.
20. Get at least a partial erection when with the partner.
21. Get a firm erection when with the partner.
22. Have an orgasm while the partner is stimulating the penis with the hand or mouth.
23. Have an orgasm during intercourse (whether there is a firm erection or not).
24. Have an orgasm by masturbation when alone (whether there is a firm erection or not).
25. Get a morning erection.