Assessing sexual function in well women: validity and reliability of the Monash Women's Health Program Female Sexual Satisfaction Questionnaire.
BACKGROUND
A validated questionnaire to assess the nature and quality of the recent female sexual experience and that can be employed to evaluate acute therapeutic effects does not exist.


OBJECTIVE
To validate an instrument with which researchers can evaluate the nature and quality of the female sexual experience within 24 hours of a sexual event.


METHODS
A cross-sectional questionnaire study in 349 sexually active community-based women, aged 20-65 years, who self-identified as being either satisfied or dissatisfied with their sexual life.


METHODS
Scores from the Monash Women's Health Program Female Sexual Satisfaction Questionnaire (MFSSQ), completed within 24 hours of sexual activity, on two occasions.


RESULTS
Participants were 349 women who were sexually active at least once per fortnight, but not necessarily partnered. Almost equal groups of self-identified satisfied, dissatisfied, premenopausal, and postmenopausal women participated. Three hundred forty-five women (99%) completed one MFSSQ, and 326 women (94%) completed two separate questionnaires, each within 24 hours of a sexual event. Missing responses were few, good inter-item correlation was seen, and excellent reliability was demonstrated for most items, based on test-retest data. The questionnaire was able to discriminate well between sexually satisfied and dissatisfied women.


CONCLUSIONS
The MFSSQ is a 12-item questionnaire specifically designed to assess the quality and nature of a recent sexual experience. It is easy and quick to administer, is reliable and valid, and has the potential to be used to assess the efficacy of acute interventions in the area of female sexual dysfunction.
Davison
Sonia L
SL
Women's Health Program, Department of Medicine, Central and Eastern Clinical School, Monash University, Alfred Hospital, Prahran, Victoria, Australia. sonia.davison@med.monash.edu.au
Bell
Robin J
RJ
La China
Maria
M
Holden
Samantha L
SL
Davis
Susan R
SR
D000328:Adult; D001143:Arousal; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis; D005201:Fantasy; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009948:Orgasm; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012735:Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological / Q000175:diagnosis*; D020018:Sexual Dysfunctions, Psychological / Q000175:diagnosis*; D055815:Young Adult