Scientists test a novel scale for quantifying sexual desire and erotic fantasies

In a recent study published in the 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) in 1,773 Italian participants. They found that the SDEF1 has a robust six-dimensional factorial structure, good psychometric properties, and can be useful to differentiate sexual desire levels across genders and between individuals with and without sexual difficulties.

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 measures often overlook the multidimensional nature of desire, focusing instead on desire outputs like frequency of sexual activity. Existing tools do not consider different sociocultural contexts and tend to represent diverse sexual identities and expressions inadequately. In the present study, researchers aimed to validate the Sexual Desire and Erotic Fantasies questionnaire – Part 1 Sexual Desire (SDEF1), a tool designed to assess various dimensions of sexual desire, including spontaneous and responsive aspects, in a sex-positive and inclusive manner. They evaluated SDEF1’s psychometric properties, such as internal reliability, construct validity, and discriminant validity. They also investigated the associations between sexual desire dimensions measured by SDEF1 and sociodemographic variables, sexual functioning, gender, and sexual orientation differences within a cohort from the Italian general population. The aim was to provide a comprehensive tool for 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 non-binary, and 11 other genders) were randomly divided into two groups for exploratory (n = 887) and confirmatory factorial analyses (n = 886), balanced by age, gender, and sexual orientation. The mean age of the participants was 29.31 years. Data were collected via an online survey between February 2019 and December 2020. The survey included a sociodemographic questionnaire and the SDEF1. Additionally, participants completed the Sexual Desire Inventory-2 (SDI-2), International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF), Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), and Marlowe–Crowne Social Desirability Scale-Short Form (MCSDS–SF) to assess validity and reliability. While the SDI-2 measures dyadic and solitary sexual desire, the IIEF and FSFI assess overall 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 involved the use of principal component analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, Cronbach’s alpha coefficient, composite reliability, average variance extracted, Pearson’s correlation, and multivariate analyses of covariance.

Results and discussion

Six factors…