Italian Versions of the 12-Item Sexual Distress Scale (SDS) and the 5-Item Sexual Distress Scale-Short Form (SDS-SF): Psychometric Properties

The study aimed to analyze the psychometric properties of the Italian versions of the 12-item Sexual Distress Scale (SDS) and the 5-item Sexual Distress Scale-Short Form (SDS-SF). A total sample of 2291 adults (1361 women, 930 men) participated through a web survey completing the SDS, the FSFI, the IIEF, the PANAS and the SCL-90-R. The results supported the adequacy of both the SDS and SDS-SF factor structures, good reliability (respectively, alpha = .96 and .92), discriminant validities and strong associations with satisfaction, fear, depression, and psychoticism. SDS and SDS-SF may facilitate the assessment of sexual distress for both clinical and research purposes.

Automated summary

This study aimed to analyze the psychometric properties of the Italian versions of the 12-item Sexual Distress Scale (SDS) and the 5-item Sexual Distress Scale-Short Form (SDS-SF). The results support their adequacy, reliability, and validity, suggesting their usefulness for assessing sexual distress in clinical and research settings.