Sexual Desire Questionnaire

Name: Sexual Desire Questionnaire
Rating: 5 (69 reviews)
Author: Mohammed looti

Mohammed looti

Sexual Desire Questionnaire

By Mohammed looti / October 24, 2025

Table of Contents

Abstract

The Sexual Wanting Questionnaire (SWQ) is a comprehensive, 106-item self-report scale developed by Zoë D. Peterson and Charlene L. Muehlenhard to measure the complex, multidimensional nature of sexual wanting, moving beyond traditional binary models (wanted vs. unwanted). The scale assesses participants’ reasons for wanting or not wanting a specific sexual experience, such as their first or most recent sexual encounter.

The SWQ is designed around a nuanced theoretical framework that incorporates multiple levels and dimensions of wanting, recognizing that an individual may experience ambivalence. Crucially, it distinguishes between wanting the sexual act itself, wanting the consequences of the act, and the distinct construct of sexual consent. Item content covers a broad range of motivational factors, including sexual arousal, personal morals and values, situational context, social benefits, concerns about pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and relationship concerns.

Keywords

Sexual Wanting Questionnaire, Sexual Ambivalence, Sexual Motivation, Sexual Desire, Sexual Consent, College Students, Exploratory Factor Analysis, Psychological Scale

Authors

Zoë D. Peterson, Charlene L. Muehlenhard

Purpose

The primary purpose of the Sexual Wanting Questionnaire is to operationalize and measure a sophisticated, non-dichotomous model of sexual wanting. This model was developed to address the missing discourse of ambivalence often overlooked in simpler classifications of sexual activity.

The scale aims to capture the complexity of sexual experience by incorporating four key distinctions: (a) measuring multiple degrees of wanting rather than a simple dichotomy; (b) acknowledging multiple dimensions, where a sexual act can be wanted in some respects and unwanted in others; (c) separating the desire for the sexual act from the desire for its potential consequences; and (d) differentiating between sexual wanting/not wanting and sexual consent/non-consent (Peterson & Muehlenhard, 2007).

Construct

The SWQ measures the construct of Sexual Wanting, defined as the subjective experience encompassing an individual’s reasons, motivations, and feelings (both positive and negative) toward engaging in a specific sexual experience. Unlike traditional measures focusing solely on desire or arousal, the SWQ captures ambivalence by assessing concurrent reasons for approach and avoidance regarding the sexual act and its outcomes.

The construct is structured around reasons related to: sexual arousal, moral and value systems, characteristics of the situation, perceived social status benefits or detriments, health concerns (e.g., fear of pregnancy or Sexually Transmitted Infections), and relationship maintenance or disruption.

Validity

The initial validity of the Sexual Wanting Questionnaire was established through rigorous item development based on themes identified in prior qualitative and quantitative studies regarding reasons for wanting and not wanting sex (e.g., Muehlenhard & Cook, 1988; O’Sullivan & Allgeier, 1998). This thematic foundation, supplemented by discussions with undergraduate students, supports the content validity of the scale.

Evidence for construct validity stems from its ability to differentiate between consensual and nonconsensual sexual experiences while confirming the theoretical separation between wanting and consenting. In a study comparing college women who reported consensual sex (n=87) versus those reporting nonconsensual sex (n=77), the nonconsensual group naturally reported significantly lower levels of sexual wanting. Crucially, observed within-group variation demonstrated that individuals sometimes consent to unwanted sex, and conversely, sometimes do not consent to wanted sex, thereby confirming that the SWQ measures a construct distinct yet related to consent (Peterson & Muehlenhard, 2007).

Reliability

The reliability of the SWQ subscales was evaluated using Cronbach’s alpha, a measure of internal consistency. Based on a sample of 213 college women reflecting experiences ranging from consensual to nonconsensual sexual intercourse, the calculated alpha values for the various subscales were found to range from .72 to .95. This range indicates that the subscales possess adequate to high levels of internal consistency across the different dimensions of sexual wanting measured by the instrument.

Factor Analysis

The structure of the Sexual Wanting Questionnaire, including the delineation of its subscales, was determined through the application of exploratory factor analysis, followed by supplementary scale reliability analyses. This methodological approach ensured that the derived subscales accurately represented the underlying dimensions of the multi-faceted construct of sexual wanting and provided empirical support for the theoretical model.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-report psychological questionnaire

Format: 106 items using a 7-point Likert-type scale ranging from −3 (A Strong Reason for Not Wanting) to +3 (A Strong Reason for Wanting), plus three global wantedness ratings.

Language Available: English

Population Group: General population, studied primarily in college populations.

Age Group: Typically young adults (college age), adaptable for other ages.

Population Details: Initial validation and primary use involved college men and women, often focusing on their first or most recent sexual experience.

Test Methodology: Respondents first indicate whether the statement was “True” or “Not True” prior to the experience. If true, they rate the extent to which it served as a reason for wanting or not wanting the activity. Scoring involves setting “Not True” items to 0 and adjusting positive/negative ratings to ensure clear differentiation between Reasons for Wanting (scores 0 to 3) and Reasons for Not Wanting (scores -3 to 0).

Scoring Details

The SWQ utilizes a specialized scoring methodology to calculate separate scores for the Reasons for Wanting and Reasons for Not Wanting subscales. Items marked as "Not True" are automatically scored as 0. For the Reasons for Wanting subscales, any negative ratings are converted to zeros. Conversely, for the Reasons for Not Wanting subscales, any positive ratings are converted to zeros. Subscale scores are calculated by averaging the ratings of the respective items.

Scores on the Reasons for Wanting subscales range from 0 to 3, where higher scores reflect stronger motivations to have sex for that particular reason. Scores on the Reasons for Not Wanting subscales range from −3 to 0, where lower (more negative) scores indicate stronger motivations for not wanting to have sex for that reason. The instrument consists of the following subscales:

Reasons for Wanting Subscales

In the Mood: 1a, 2a, 3a, 6a, 7a, 10, 11a, 12a, 13a, 14, 16a, 17, 19, 22a, 26, 78
Negative Consequences of Refusing: 49, 62, 66, 67, 68, 71, 75, 80, 82
Personal Gain: 47, 48, 54, 79a Social Benefits: 40a, 41a, 45 Fear of Physical Harm: 69, 74
Strengthen the Relationship: 50, 51, 59, 61 Not Intoxicated: 20a, 21a
Not a Virgin: 29b, 30b

Reasons for Not Wanting Subscales

Not in the Mood: 1b, 2b, 3c, 5, 12b, 13b, 16b Negative Consequences: 23, 31, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 39
Lack of Confidence: 4b, 18, 25, 28, 29a
Cheating: 63, 64
Disliked the Other Person: 6b, 7b Negative Social Consequences: 40b, 41b

Keywords

Psychometrics, Sexual Health, Sexual Wanting, Sexual Ambivalence, STIs, Relationship Dynamics, Psychological Assessment

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Not provided in source content.

Affiliation Email addresses: [email protected] (Zoë D. Peterson)

Correspondence Address: Zoë Peterson, Department of Psychology, 325 Stadler Hall, University of Missouri-St. Louis, One University Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63121

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The Sexual Wanting Scale may be copied and used for educational and research purposes without requiring formal permission, provided appropriate citation is used. The authors encourage researchers utilizing the scale to send a summary of their findings. The instrument was developed and published around 2007 (Peterson & Muehlenhard, 2007).

Reference’s

Muehlenhard, C. L., & Cook, S. W. (1988). Men’s self-reports of unwanted sexual activity. The Journal of Sex Research, 24, 58–72.

Muehlenhard, C. L., & Peterson, Z. D. (2005). Wanting and not wanting sex: The missing discourse of ambivalence. Feminism and Psychology, 15, 15–20.

Muehlenhard, C. L., Peterson, Z. D., MacPherson, L. A., & Blair, R. L. (2002, June). First experiences with sexual intercourse: Wanted, unwanted, or both? Application of a multidimensional model. Paper presented at the Midcontinent and Eastern Region Joint Conference of the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality, Big Rapids, MI.

O’Sullivan, L. F., & Allgeier, E. R. (1998). Feigning sexual desire: Consenting to unwanted sexual activity in heterosexual dating relationships. The Journal of Sex Research, 35, 234–243.

O’Sullivan, L. F., & Gaines, M. E. (1998). Decision-making in college students’ heterosexual dating relationships: Ambivalence about engaging in sexual activity. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 15, 347–363.

Peterson, Z. D., & Muehlenhard, C. L. (2007). Conceptualizing the “wantedness” of women’s consensual and nonconsensual sexual experiences: Implications for how women label their experiences with rape. The Journal of Sex Research, 44, 72–88.

Items of the Sexual Wanting Questionnaire

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

Indicate whether each statement was true for you shortly before the sexual activity started.

If this statement was not true for you at the time, check Not True and go to the next line.
If this statement was true for you at the time, then check True.

Circle a number from −3 to 3 indicating how much, if at all, it was a reason for not wanting or wanting to engage in sexual intercourse, based on the scale below.

It was a reason for not wanting to engage in the sexual activity	It had no influence	It was a reason for wanting to engage in the sexual activity
−3 −2 −1 a strong a moderate a weak reason reason reason for *not wanting* to have sex	0 not a reason for wanting or not wanting to have sex	1 2 3 a weak a moderate a strong reason reason reason for *wanting* to have sex

Was this statement true for you shortly before the sexual activity began?		Not True Check and go to the next line	True Check and then circle your rating	A reason for A reason for not wanting the wanting sexual activity the sexual activity
1a. I was sexually aroused before the sexual intercourse began.				−3 −2 −1							0				1 2 3
1b. I was not sexually aroused before the sexual intercourse began.				−3 −2 −1							0				1 2 3
2a. I expected to be aroused during the sexual intercourse.				−3 −2 −1							0				1 2 3
2b. I did not expect to be aroused during the sexual intercourse.				−3 −2 −1							0				1 2 3
3a. I felt interested in and excited about the possibility of the sexual act.				−3 −2 −1							0				1 2 3
3b. I felt indifferent about the possibility of the sexual act; I didn’t care one way or another.				−3 −2 −1							0				1 2 3
3c. I felt uninterested in and bored about the possibility of the sexual act.				−3 −2 −1							0				1 2 3
4a. I felt comfortable about my body.				−3 −2 −1							0				1 2 3
4b. I felt uncomfortable about my body.				−3 −2 −1							0				1 2 3
5. I felt disgusted or revolted by the possibility of the sexual intercourse.				−3 −2 −1							0				1 2 3

6a. I found the other person physically attractive.				−3		−2			−1		0				1					2		3
6b. I found the other person physically unattractive.				−3		−2			−1		0				1					2		3
7a. I liked the other person.				−3		−2			−1		0				1					2		3
7b. I disliked the other person.				−3		−2			−1		0				1					2		3
8. I didn’t know the other person well.				−3		−2			−1		0				1					2		3
9a. The sexual activity in question was socially acceptable.				−3		−2			−1		0				1					2		3
9b. The sexual activity in question was socially unacceptable.				−3		−2			−1		0				1					2		3
10. I felt curious to try sexual intercourse with this person in this situation.				−3		−2			−1		0				1					2		3
11a. There was a good location available (it was comfortable, there was privacy, etc.).				−3		−2			−1		0				1					2		3
11b. There was a problem with the location (it was uncomfortable, there was little privacy, etc.).				−3		−2			−1		0				1					2		3
12a. I was in the mood to engage in sexual intercourse.				−3		−2			−1		0				1					2		3
12b. I was not in the mood to engage in sexual intercourse.				−3		−2			−1		0				1					2		3
13a. I found the other person’s behavior appealing or attractive in this situation.				−3		−2			−1		0				1					2		3
13b. The other person’s behavior was unappealing or obnoxious in this situation.				−3		−2			−1		0				1					2		3
14. It seemed that the other person wanted to engage in the sexual intercourse at least to some degree.				−3		−2			−1		0				1					2		3
15. It seemed that the other person was at least somewhat reluctant to engage in the sexual intercourse.				−3		−2			−1		0				1					2		3
16a. I expected emotional closeness during this sexual activity.				−3		−2			−1		0				1					2		3
16b. I did not expect emotional closeness during this sexual activity.				−3		−2			−1		0				1					2		3
17. There would have been a great deal of physical closeness during this sexual activity.				−3		−2			−1		0				1					2		3
18. I expected the sexual intercourse to be painful or physically uncomfortable.				−3		−2			−1		0				1					2		3
19. I expected the sexual intercourse to be pleasurable.				−3		−2			−1		0				1					2		3
20a. I was not intoxicated (on alcohol or drugs).				−3		−2			−1		0				1					2		3
20b. I was mildly intoxicated (on alcohol or drugs).				−3		−2			−1		0				1					2		3
20c. I was extremely intoxicated (on alcohol or drugs).				−3		−2			−1		0				1					2		3
21a. The other person was not intoxicated (on alcohol or drugs).				−3		−2			−1		0				1					2		3
21b. The other person was mildly intoxicated (on alcohol or drugs).				−3		−2			−1		0				1					2		3
21c. The other person was extremely intoxicated (on alcohol or drugs).				−3		−2			−1		0				1					2		3
22a. The other person consented (or agreed) to engage in the sexual intercourse.				−3		−2			−1		0				1					2		3
22b. The other person did not consent (or agree) to engage in the sexual intercourse.				−3		−2			−1		0				1					2		3
23. I felt that engaging in the sexual intercourse would make me feel uncomfortable because it would be going against my morals and values.				−3			−2			−1			0				1				2		3
24. I or the other person was menstruating.				−3			−2			−1			0				1				2		3
25. I was nervous about my ability to perform sexual intercourse.				−3			−2			−1			0				1				2		3
26. I was confident about my ability to perform sexual intercourse.				−3			−2			−1			0				1				2		3
27. I felt physically unwell or sick.				−3			−2			−1			0				1				2		3
28. It would have been my first time engaging in the sexual activity in question.				−3			−2			−1			0				1				2		3
29a.	I was a virgin.			−3			−2			−1			0				1				2		3
29b.	I was not a virgin.			−3			−2			−1			0				1				2		3
30a. The other person was a virgin.				−3			−2			−1			0				1				2		3
30b. The other person was not a virgin.				−3			−2			−1			0				1				2		3
31. I thought that, if I had sex, I might get a sexually transmitted disease.				−3			−2			−1			0				1				2		3
32. I thought I might give the other person a sexually transmitted disease.				−3			−2			−1			0				1				2		3
33. I thought I might get pregnant or get the other person pregnant.				−3			−2			−1			0				1				2		3
34. I thought I might get into trouble (e.g., with my parents, my boss, the police).				−3			−2			−1			0				1				2		3
35. I thought I might feel bad or guilty because it was against my morals or values.				−3			−2			−1			0				1				2		3
36. I thought I might feel bad or guilty because it was against my parents’ morals or values.				−3			−2			−1			0				1				2		3
37. I thought my parents might find out.				−3			−2			−1			0				1				2		3
38. I thought that having sex would improve my self-esteem or self-image at least in some ways.				−3			−2			−1			0				1				2		3
39. I thought that having sex would harm my self-esteem or self-image at least in some ways.				−3			−2			−1			0				1				2		3
40a. I thought it would improve my reputation among my female friends and acquaintances.				−3			−2			−1			0				1				2		3
40b. I thought it would harm my reputation among my female friends and acquaintances.				−3			−2			−1			0				1				2		3
41a. I thought it would improve my reputation among my male friends and acquaintances.				−3			−2			−1			0				1				2		3
41b. I thought it would harm my reputation among my male friends and acquaintances.				−3			−2			−1			0				1				2		3
42. I thought it would prevent me from doing something else I needed to do (e.g., studying, going to work).				−3			−2			−1			0				1				2		3
43. I thought it would prevent me from doing something else fun or pleasant (e.g., watching TV, going to a movie).				−3			−2			−1			0				1				2		3
44a. I thought it would make the other person happy.				−3			−2			−1			0				1				2		3
44b. I thought it would make the other person unhappy				−3			−2			−1			0				1				2		3
45. I thought it would give me something to talk about with friends and acquaintances.				−3			−2			−1			0				1				2		3
46. I thought that, if I had sex, the other person might think I was cheap or easy.				−3			−2			−1			0				1				2		3
47. I thought it might result in my getting something I really needed (e.g., food, money, transportation, shelter).				−3	−2			−1			0			1				2				3
48. I thought it might result in my getting something I really wanted (e.g., a gift, a vacation).				−3	−2			−1			0			1				2				3
49. I felt like it would fulfill my obligation to the other person.				−3	−2			−1			0			1				2				3
50. I thought that it would demonstrate my love for the other person.				−3	−2			−1			0			1				2				3
51. I thought that it would make me feel closer to the other person.				−3	−2			−1			0			1				2				3
52. I thought that it would make the other person fall in love with me.				−3	−2			−1			0			1				2				3
53. I thought that it would make me feel needed or wanted.				−3	−2			−1			0			1				2				3
54. I thought that it would result in the other person doing something I wanted.				−3	−2			−1			0			1				2				3
55. I felt like it would be fair to the other person because, in the past, he/she had engaged in sexual intercourse with me when I wanted to.				−3	−2			−1			0			1				2				3
56. I thought that it would result in my being accused of rape or sexual coercion.				−3	−2			−1			0			1				2				3
57. I thought that I might regret it later.				−3	−2			−1			0			1				2				3
58. I thought that the other person might regret it later.				−3	−2			−1			0			1				2				3
59. I thought that having sex would strengthen my relationship with the other person in some ways.				−3	−2			−1			0			1				2				3
60. I thought that having sex would damage my relationship with the other person in some ways.				−3	−2			−1			0			1				2				3
61. I thought that it might lead to a steady relationship with the other person.				−3	−2			−1			0			1				2				3
62. I thought that it would cause the other person to stop pressuring me.				−3	−2			−1			0			1				2				3
63. It would have been “cheating,” and I was afraid that it would damage my relationship with my spouse or steady dating partner.				−3	−2			−1			0			1				2				3
64. It would have been “cheating,” and I was afraid that it would hurt my spouse or steady dating partner.				−3	−2			−1			0			1				2				3
65a. I wanted to be more sexually experienced.				−3	−2			−1			0			1				2				3
65b. I did not want to be more sexually experienced.				−3	−2			−1			0			1				2				3
66. I wanted to avoid hurting the other person’s feelings.				−3	−2			−1			0			1				2				3
67. Refusing sex would have made me feel guilty.				−3	−2			−1			0			1				2				3
68. I was afraid that, if I refused, the other person would become angry.				−3	−2			−1			0			1				2				3
69. I was afraid that, if I refused, the other person might harm me physically.				−3	−2			−1			0			1				2				3
70. There was nothing else to do.				−3	−2			−1			0			1				2				3
71. I was afraid that, if I refused, the other person might accuse me of being a tease or leading him/her on.				−3	−2			−1			0			1				2				3
72. I was afraid that, if I refused, the other person might think I was ungrateful because he/she had done something for me.				−3			−2			−1		0				1			2			3
73. I was afraid that refusing would make me seem selfish.				−3			−2			−1		0				1			2			3
74. I was afraid that, if I refused, the other person might try to force me to do it.				−3			−2			−1		0				1			2			3
75. I was afraid that the other person would be disappointed if we didn’t have sex.				−3			−2			−1		0				1			2			3
76. I thought that this was my only chance to have sex with this person—that it was now or never.				−3			−2			−1		0				1			2			3
77. I was afraid that, if I refused, the other person might carry out some threat against me.				−3			−2			−1		0				1			2			3
78. This was an experience that I didn’t want to miss out on.				−3			−2			−1		0				1			2			3
79a. I felt like having sex would have made me feel powerful.				−3			−2			−1		0				1			2			3
79b. I felt like having sex would have made me feel powerless.				−3			−2			−1		0				1			2			3
80. I thought that refusing might damage my relationship with the other person at least in some ways.				−3			−2			−1		0				1			2			3
81. I thought that refusing might strengthen my relationship with the other person at least in some ways.				−3			−2			−1		0				1			2			3
82. I was afraid that, if I refused, the other person might break up with me.				−3			−2			−1		0				1			2			3
83. I was afraid that, if I refused, the other person might have sex with someone else.				−3			−2			−1		0				1			2			3
84. It was a situation where sex was expected (e.g., it was prom night; the other person was my girlfriend/boyfriend visiting from out of town, etc.).				−3			−2			−1		0				1			2			3

Overall, how much did you want or not want to engage in the sexual act itself (not considering the consequences)?

−3	−2	−1	0	1	2	3
Strongly	Moderately	Slightly	No	Slightly	Moderately	Strongly
unwanted	unwanted	unwanted	opinion	wanted	wanted	wanted

Overall, how much did you want or not want the possible consequences of engaging in the sexual activity?

−3	−2	−1	0	1	2	3
Strongly	Moderately	Slightly	No	Slightly	Moderately	Strongly
unwanted	unwanted	unwanted	opinion	wanted	wanted	wanted

Overall, how much did you want or not want to engage in sexual activity in this situation (taking into account the sexual act itself, the possible consequences of engaging in the sexual act, and the possible consequences of not engaging in the sexual act)?

−3	−2	−1	0	1	2	3
Strongly	Moderately	Slightly	No	Slightly	Moderately	Strongly
unwanted	unwanted	unwanted	opinion	wanted	wanted	wanted

Cite this article

APAMLACHICAGOHARVARDIEEEAMA

Mohammed looti (2025). Sexual Desire Questionnaire. Psychological Scales & Instruments Database. Retrieved from https://db.arabpsychology.com/scales/sexual-wanting-questionnaire/

Mohammed looti. "Sexual Desire Questionnaire." Psychological Scales & Instruments Database, 24 Oct. 2025, https://db.arabpsychology.com/scales/sexual-wanting-questionnaire/.

Mohammed looti. "Sexual Desire Questionnaire." Psychological Scales & Instruments Database, 2025. https://db.arabpsychology.com/scales/sexual-wanting-questionnaire/.

Mohammed looti (2025) 'Sexual Desire Questionnaire', Psychological Scales & Instruments Database. Available at: https://db.arabpsychology.com/scales/sexual-wanting-questionnaire/.

[1] Mohammed looti, "Sexual Desire Questionnaire," Psychological Scales & Instruments Database, vol. X, no. Y, ص Z-Z, October, 2025.

Mohammed looti. Sexual Desire Questionnaire. Psychological Scales & Instruments Database. 2025;vol(issue):pages.