Psychometric Properties of Common Measures of Hypersexuality in an Online Canadian Sample

Abstract

Background Hypersexuality has been posited as the central defining feature of Compulsive Sexual Behavior Disorder, and although the acceptance and inclusion of this construct in psychiatric nosologies provides some legitimacy, concerns surrounding terminology, assessment, and diagnosis remain. Aim The present study was an independent psychometric examination of 2 of the most commonly used measures of Compulsive Sexual Behavior Disorder; specifically, the gender invariance of the latent structure, reliability (test retest, internal consistency), and external correlates (concurrent validity) of these measures. Methods The Sexual Compulsivity Scale and the Hypersexual Behavior Inventory were completed by 2 nonclinical online community samples of cisgender women (ns = 525 and 359), cisgender men (ns = 419 and 364), and transgender or non-binary individuals (ns = 38 and 11). Outcomes Criterion based measures of sexual history and total sexual outlet (number of orgasms per week) were gathered to validate Sexual Compulsivity Scale and Hypersexual Behavior Inventory total and factor scores. Results Results supported the factorial validity of both assessment measures: correlated 3 factor solutions were established through exploratory factor analysis of 1 sample, and confirmatory factor analysis in the second sample. Multiple group confirmatory factor analysis, conducted on the 2 combined samples, also supported the gender invariance of the 3-factor solutions. Additional basic psychometric indices of test-retest and internal consistency reliability and criterion-related (concurrent) validity conducted across the 2 online samples were supported. Clinical Implications Common measures of hypersexuality have potential for use in its assessment, treatment, and management. Strengths & Limitations Study strengths include: the inclusion of 2 fairly large and diverse online samples, thorough checks for insufficient effort/validity of responding, validity and reliability methodology (ie, measurement at multiple time points, obtaining behavioral indicators of sexual health), and a comprehensive set of psychometric analyses to inform conclusions regarding the external validity, reliability, and latent structure of hypersexuality measures across gender groups. Study limitations include: potential concerns related to validity and accuracy of responding owing to a reliance on self-report, the potential for selection bias, and limiting the examination of the latent structure of hypersexuality to cisgender men and women such that the results may not generalize to gender diverse populations. Conclusion Hypersexuality is a multidimensional construct, with a common latent structure among cisgender men and women, consistency in measurement over time, and meaningful concurrent associations with behavioral criteria that have relevance for sexual health.

Comparing the Effectiveness of Cognitive Rehabilitation and Binaural Beats on Craving and Comorbidities of Sexual Hyperactivity: A Pilot, Exploratory Quasi-Experimental Study

“…The academic interest in sexual hyperactivity has notably increased, leading to the development of various diagnostic tools [ 17 ], like the Hypersexual Disorder Screening Inventory (HDSI) [ 18 ], the Hypersexual Behavior Inventory (HBI) [ 19 , 20 ], or the Sexual Compulsivity Scale (SCS) [ 20 ], among others, aimed at identifying and measuring the extent of hypersexuality-related disorders [ 17 ]. These can have severe consequences [ 16 ], including an increased likelihood of committing sexual offenses and misconducts [ 21 ] and using pornography in ways that reinforce negative attitudes towards women [ 22 , 23 , 24 ].…”