International Sex Survey: Study protocol of a large, cross-cultural collaborative study in 45 countries

Abstract

Background and aims Limitations of research into sexuality and compulsive sexual behavior disorder (CSBD) include the use of simplistic methodological designs and the absence of quality and unified measurements, empirically supported theoretical models, and large, collaborative studies between laboratories. We aim to fill these gaps with the International Sex Survey (ISS, http://internationalsexsurvey.org/). Methods The ISS is a large-scale, international, multi-lab, multi-language study using cross-sectional survey methods, involving more than 40 countries. Participants responding to advertisements complete a self-report, anonymous survey on a secure online platform. Collaborators from each country collect a community sample of adults with a minimum sample size of 2,000 participants with a gender ratio of approximately 50–50% men and women, including diverse individuals with respect to sexuality and gender. The ISS includes a wide range of sociodemographic questions and scales assessing a diverse set of sexual behaviors, pornography use, psychological characteristics, and potential comorbid disorders. Analyses are conducted within a structural equation modeling framework, including variable (e.g., measurement invariance tests) and person-centered approaches (e.g., latent profile analysis). Discussion and conclusions The ISS will provide well-validated, publicly available screening tools, helping to eliminate significant measurement issues in the field of sexuality research and health care. It will provide important insights to improve the theoretical understanding of CSBD as well as help to identify empirically supported treatment targets for prevention and intervention programs. Following open-science practices and making study materials open-access, the ISS may serve as a blueprint for future large-scale research in addiction and sexuality research.

Emerging experience with selected new categories in the ICD‐11: complex PTSD, prolonged grief disorder, gaming disorder, and compulsive sexual behaviour disorder

“…In 2021, an expanded consortium of researchers launched the International Sex Survey, a large‐scale multi‐language study involving over 40 countries. Upon its completion, the project will make the CSBD‐19 publicly available in over 30 languages for research and clinical practice 307 .…”

Cross-Cultural Adult ADHD Assessment in 42 Countries Using the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale Screener

“…The original (English) version of test battery was translated into 25 other languages, according to guidelines of a pre-established translation procedure for crosscultural studies (Beaton et al, 2000). The translation procedure is also described in more detail in the previously published study protocol (Bőthe et al, 2021). Data Collection.…”

“…Participants who responded to the study advertisements completed an anonymous survey on the Qualtrics Research Suite, which took approximately 25 to 45 minutes. Detailed information regarding data collection was described previously (Bőthe et al, 2021).…”

The landscape of open science in behavioral addiction research: Current practices and future directions

“…Lastly, as a community we can and should take larger-scale efforts to tackle issues of lacking high-powered replications and generally poorly powered studies. First of all, data sharing and combined efforts might lead to 'multi-lab' approaches as they have been in the past in cognitive and social psychology (i.e., the 'many labs' efforts, the Psychological Science Accelerator efforts, or the Reproducibility Project: Psychology initiated by the Center for Open Science), but also in the field of compulsive sexual behaviors/problematic pornography use recently (i.e., International Sex Survey; Bőthe et al, 2021). Key component of these approaches is that several labs and institutions involved combine their efforts to collect bigger and more diverse samples using high-quality research methods.…”