Multidimensional Sexual Approach Questionnaire – MSAQ
A self-report questionnaire designed to assess eight separate approaches to sexual relations.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Multidimensional Sexual Approach Questionnaire – MSAQ was developed by William E. Snell, Jr. (1992). It is designed to measure Approaches to sexual relationships. The scale is intended for use with Adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 56 items organized into 8 factors/subscales: Passionate, Game-playing, Companionate, Practical, Dependent, Altruistic, Communal, Exchange.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Passionate | 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 | 7 |
| Game-playing | 8,9,10,11,12,13,14 | 7 |
| Companionate | 15,16,17,18,19,20,21 | 7 |
| Practical | 22,23,24,25,26,27,28 | 7 |
| Dependent | 29,30,31,32,33,34,35 | 7 |
| Altruistic | 36,37,38,39,40,41,42 | 7 |
| Communal | 43,44,45,46,47,48 | 6 |
| Exchange | 49,50,51,52,53,54,55,56 | 8 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 2 = Strongly agree, 1 = Moderately agree, 0 = Neutral—Neither agree nor disagree, -1 = Moderately disagree, -2 = Strongly disagree.
Scoring
Items are scored by subscale, with each subscale sum representing a distinct dimension.
Total scores range from -14 to 14. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low agreement with the sexual style: -14 – -5
- Moderate/Neutral agreement with the sexual style: -4 – 4
- High agreement with the sexual style: 5 – 14
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Cronbach alphas ranged from .72 to .92.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 20 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.