The Arizona Sexual Experiences Scale-the Thai Translation (ASEX-Thai): Reliability and validity in Thai patients with mental disorders

Abstract

Background: Sexual dysfunction is common among patients with mental disorders but receives less clinical attention, especially in Thailand and other Asian countries. The Arizona Sexual Experiences Scale-the Thai Translation (ASEX-Thai), a self-rated, brief, questionnaire is a potential tool for screening for sexual dysfunction in this population. Our study aimed to assess the reliability and validity of ASEX-Thai in Thai patients with mental disorders. Methods: We enrolled 202 patients from an outpatient psychiatric department at a tertiary hospital in Bangkok, Thailand. Demographic data, clinical data, and diagnosis of sexual dysfunction were assessed. ASEX-Thai was done, and we analyzed the test’s psychometric properties.  Results: Most participants were diagnosed with major depressive disorder (48%). There was a positive correlation between the ASEX-Thai and sexual dysfunction diagnosis (r = 0.402, p < 0.001). The KMO coefficient was 0.77 and Barlett’s sphericity test was significant (χ  2 = 409.76, p<0.001). A score of ≥ 17 points of the ASEX-Thai was the most suitable for sexual dysfunction screening (sensitivity 77.23 %, and specificity 58.42 %). For reliability, the Cronbach’s alpha coefficient (0.831) showed good internal consistency. Conclusions: The ASEX-Thai is a valid and reliable self-rated questionnaire for screening for sexual dysfunction among Thai patients with mental disorders. The test could help clinicians to evaluate this undetected condition and deliver proper interventions.