Development and validation of the sexual distress scale: results from a collectivistic culture

Abstract

Background: Literature lacks a comprehensive measure of sexual distress that could be applied to both clinical and non-clinical populations, regardless of the gender and relational status of the respondents. The current study, therefore, developed and validated Sexual Distress Scale (SDS). Method: The development and validation of the SDS involved two consecutive studies with a total of 656 participants (men = 300, women = 356; Mage=22 years) from Pakistan. The studies included exploratory factor analysis (EFA), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and assessments of convergent and divergent validity. Results: The SDS demonstrated high reliability in both the studies (α = 0.911 & 0.946). Item-total correlations ranged from 0.670 to 0.878 (p < 0.01). EFA revealed a single-factor structure consisting of 8 items. CFA confirmed this structure, projecting a good comparative fit index (CFI = 0.913). The scale’s convergent validity was established through significant positive correlations with depression (r = 0.845, p < 0.01), anxiety (r = 0.847, p < 0.01), and stress (r = 0.786, p < 0.01). Divergent validity was established through significant inverse correlations with life satisfaction (r = -0.972, p < 0.01) and emotional expressivity (r= -0.935, p < 0.01). Compared to women, men experienced significantly higher levels of sexual distress (p < 0.01; Cohen’s d = 0.448). Conclusion: The study bridges a substantial knowledge gap in the measurement of sexual distress. The findings highlight the impact of sexual distress on psychosocial health. The study opens avenues for further research and targeted interventions in sexuality, especially within the collectivistic cultures.