Scientists test novel scale to quantify sexual desire and erotic fantasies

In a recently published study in International Journal of Impotence Research, Researchers in Italy developed and tested the psychometric properties of the Sexual Desire and Erotic Fantasies Questionnaire – Part 1: Sexual Desire (SDEF1) on 1,773 Italian participants. They found that the SDEF1 has a robust six-dimensional factorial structure and good psychometric properties and can be useful for differentiating the level of sexual desire between the sexes and between individuals with and without sexual problems.

Study: Sexual Desire and Erotic Fantasies Questionnaire: Development and Validation of the Sexual Desire Scale (SDEF1). Image credit: Aloha Hawaii / Shutterstock

background

Sexual desire, a complex psychological state influenced by internal and external stimuli, motivates sexual behavior. Traditional measurement methods often overlook the multidimensional nature of desire and instead focus on desire outcomes such as frequency of sexual activity. Existing tools do not take into account different sociocultural contexts and tend to inadequately represent different sexual identities and expressions. In the present study, the researchers aimed to validate the Sexual Desire and Erotic Fantasies Questionnaire – Part 1: Sexual Desire (SDEF1), a tool designed to assess different dimensions of sexual desire, including spontaneous and reactive aspects, in a sex-positive and comprehensive manner. They evaluated the psychometric properties of SDEF1, such as internal reliability, construct validity, and discriminant validity. They also investigated the associations between the dimensions of sexual desire measured by SDEF1 and sociodemographic variables, sexual function, gender, and differences in sexual orientation within a cohort from the Italian general population. The aim was to provide a comprehensive tool for the clinical assessment of sexual desire and related disorders.

About the study

A total of 1,773 participants (645 men, 1,105 women, 3 transgender, 9 nonbinary, and 11 other genders) were randomly assigned into two groups, balanced by age, gender, and sexual orientation, for exploratory (n = 887) and confirmatory factor analyses (n = 886). The mean age of participants was 29.31 years. Data were collected between February 2019 and December 2020 via an online survey. The survey included a sociodemographic questionnaire and the SDEF1. In addition, participants completed the Sexual Desire Inventory-2 (SDI-2), the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF), the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), and the Marlowe–Crowne Social Desirability Scale-Short Form (MCSDS–SF) to assess validity and reliability. While the SDI-2 measures sexual desire between couples and individuals, the IIEF and FSFI assess general sexual function and specific domains, and the MCSDS-SF measures social desirability bias. It is important to note that the Italian version of the IIEF used in the study had not been previously validated. Statistical analysis included the use of principal component analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, Cronbach’s alpha coefficient, composite reliability, average variance extracted, Pearson correlation, and multivariate analyses of covariance.

Results and discussion

From the initial 43 items in SDEF1, six factors were identified, with 28 items retained. The six factors were: Sexual Desire (F1), Negative Feelings About Sexual Desire (F2), Autoerotic Desire (F3), Desire for a steady partner (F4), Desire for an attractive person (F5), and Responsive Desire (F6). “Sexual Desire” reflected overall self-perceived levels of sexual arousal and included various activities such as kissing and intercourse. “Negative Feelings About Sexual Desire” assessed distress and attempts to control or reduce sexual desire, indicating higher levels of associated distress. “Autoerotic Desire” focused on satisfaction with solitary sexual activities such as masturbation. “Desire for a steady partner” measured satisfaction with sexual activities with a steady partner or a friendship with benefits. “Desire for an attractive person” measured desire for sexual activity with someone other than a steady partner and emphasized attraction dynamics. In addition, “responsive desire” reflected receptivity to a partner’s sexual advances and the ability to transition from neutral to aroused states with sufficient stimuli, consistent with concepts of responsive sexual desire. Higher scores indicated higher levels of self-reported sexual desire or responsiveness in these domains.

The structure was validated, confirming good model fit and internal consistency. The factors showed significant correlations, except between F3 and F4, and demonstrated adequate convergent and discriminant validity with other sexual assessment instruments. Sociodemographic factors such as age and relationship status correlated with various dimensions of sexual desire. SDEF1 dimensions also differentiated between clinical and non-clinical scores of sexual function. Differences regarding gender and sexual orientation were evident. Compared to women, men showed significantly higher desire on all factors, except for desire for a steady partner, where both genders showed comparable scores. Desire for autoerotic activity was the factor that best differentiated between genders, accounting for 11.7% of the explained variance.

The study highlights the reliability of SDEF1 in measuring sexual desire in diverse populations and confirms its robustness and relevance for clinical and research applications. However, limitations of the study include a non-representative sample, potential faking by respondents, lack of test-retest reliability, the need for further invariance testing, the use of an unvalidated measure (IIEF), and the potential impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) lockdown on sexual experiences. The influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on participants’ sexual experiences is an important context to consider.

Diploma

In summary, the study expands our understanding of sexual desire by examining its specific domains and relationships with sexual function across genders and orientations. The results confirm the usefulness of SDEF1 as a valid and reliable measurement tool, comparable to other commonly used questionnaires. The SDEF1 is recommended for use in clinical and research settings to assess various dimensions of sexual desire.