Dyadic Sexual Regulation Scale – DSR
Measures the extent to which an individual perceives sexual activity to be regulated from an internal versus an external locus of control.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Dyadic Sexual Regulation Scale – DSR was developed by Joseph A. Catania (1984). It is designed to measure Sexual Locus of Control. The scale is intended for use with Adults in relationships.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 11 items.
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 1 = Strongly disagree, 2 = Disagree, 3 = Slightly disagree, 4 = Neither agree nor disagree, 5 = Slightly agree, 6 = Agree, 7 = Strongly agree.
The scale includes 5 reverse-scored items to reduce acquiescence bias.
Scoring
Items are summed to produce a total score.
Total scores range from 11 to 77. Interpretation guidelines:
- External Locus of Control: 11 – 43
- Internal Locus of Control: 44 – 77
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Cronbach's alpha = .74 – .83.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 2 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.