title: Further Validation of the Female Sexual Function Index: Specificity and Associations With Clinical Interview Data.
abstract: Female sexual function is a multi-faceted psychophysiological construct. The Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) is considered a "gold standard" self-report instrument that assesses the various aspects of sexual function. However, researchers have recently proposed potential limitations of the FSFI, highlighting the need for continued validation research. The aims of the current analyses were (a) to assess the correlations between FSFI scores and information regarding specific rates of functional impairment gained via clinical interview; and (b) to assess the specificity of FSFI subscale scores in reflecting corresponding aspects of sexual function (e.g., whether the Sexual Desire subscale reflects sexual desire specifically rather than sexual arousal, orgasm, etc.). The participants were 97 sexually active women who reported impairments in sexual function. Clinical interview data exhibited moderate-to-strong correlations with FSFI scores. Additionally, FSFI subscales generally exhibited adequate specificity in terms of reflecting their corresponding aspects of sexual function more strongly than other aspects. The results generally supported the validity of the FSFI. Implications for the measurement and conceptualization of female sexual function are discussed.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychology, Willamette University , Salem , Oregon , USA.
authors.forename: Kyle R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Stephenson
authors.affiliation: b Department of Psychology, University of Essex, Colchester, UK, and Department of Psychology, California State University Monterey Bay , Seaside , California , USA.
authors.forename: Nasreen
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Toorabally
authors.affiliation: c Department of Psychology, California State University Monterey Bay , Seaside , California , USA.
authors.forename: Leah
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lyons
authors.affiliation: d Department of Psychology, The University of Texas at Austin , Austin , Texas , USA.
authors.forename: Cindy
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: M Meston
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001143:Arousal; D003075:Coitus; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012735:Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological / Q000175:diagnosis*; D020018:Sexual Dysfunctions, Psychological / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards*; D016387:Women's Health; D055815:Young Adult