Sexual Self-Schema Scale—Women’s Version (SSS)
A self-report cognitive measure of a woman's sexual self-view, evaluating positive and negative aspects of sexual self-schema.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Sexual Self-Schema Scale—Women’s Version (SSS) was developed by Barbara L. Andersen & Jill M. Cyranowski (1994). It is designed to measure Sexual Self-Schema. The scale is intended for use with Women.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 50 items organized into 3 factors/subscales: Passionate/Romantic (Factor 1), Directness/Openness (Factor 2), Embarrassment or Conservatism (Factor 3).
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Passionate/Romantic (Factor 1) | 5,11,20,35,37,39,44,45,48,50 | 10 |
| Directness/Openness (Factor 2) | 2,5,9,13,16,18,24,25,32 | 9 |
| Embarrassment or Conservatism (Factor 3) | 3,8,22,28,31,38,41 | 7 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 0 = Not at all descriptive of me, 1 = 1, 2 = 2, 3 = 3, 4 = 4, 5 = 5, 6 = Very much descriptive of me.
The scale includes 1 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 -42 to 114. Interpretation guidelines:
- Total Score Range (Calculated as: [Factor 1 + Factor 2] – Factor 3): -42 – 114
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Total scale alpha = .82; Factor 1 = .81; Factor 2 = .77; Factor 3 = .66.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 10 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.