Attitudes Toward Erotica Questionnaire – ATEQ
Measures attitudes toward the harmful and positive effects of erotica, as well as attitudes toward its restriction and regulation.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Attitudes Toward Erotica Questionnaire – ATEQ was developed by Ilsa L. Lottes, Martin S. Weinberg (1993). It is designed to measure Attitudes toward erotica. The scale is intended for use with College students and general adult population.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 21 items organized into 3 factors/subscales: Harmful, Positive, Restrict.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Harmful | 1,4,6,7,9,10,12,20,21 | 9 |
| Positive | 5,11,13,15,17,18,19 | 7 |
| Restrict | 2,3,8,14,16 | 5 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a 5-point Likert scale (1 = Strongly Disagree to 5 = Strongly Agree).
The scale includes 4 reverse-scored items to reduce acquiescence bias.
Scoring
Items are scored by subscale, with each subscale sum representing a distinct dimension.
Total scores range from 9 to 45. Interpretation guidelines:
- Harmful Scale (Higher scores indicate more perceived harm): 9 – 45
- Positive Scale (Higher scores indicate more perceived positive effects): 7 – 35
- Restrict Scale (Higher scores indicate more support for restriction): 5 – 25
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Cronbach alphas: Harmful (.84-.90), Positive (.73-.78), Restrict (.84-.85).
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 8 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.