Attitudes Related to Sexual Concerns Scale – ASCS
Measures attitudes conceptually, empirically, or clinically associated with specific sexual concerns and dysfunctions of men and women.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Attitudes Related to Sexual Concerns Scale – ASCS was developed by Patricia Barthalow Koch, Craig R. Cowden (1995). It is designed to measure Attitudes related to sexual concerns and dysfunctions. The scale is intended for use with Adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 30 items organized into 8 factors/subscales: Body Image, Sexual Self-Understanding, Gender Roles, Communication, Guilt, Commitment, Masturbation, Sexual Performance.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Body Image | 1,9,17 | 3 |
| Sexual Self-Understanding | 2,10,18,25 | 4 |
| Gender Roles | 3,11,19 | 3 |
| Communication | 4,12,20,26 | 4 |
| Guilt | 5,13,21,27 | 4 |
| Commitment | 6,14,22,28 | 4 |
| Masturbation | 7,15,23 | 3 |
| Sexual Performance | 8,16,24,29,30 | 5 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 1 = Strongly Agree, 2 = Agree, 3 = Uncertain, 4 = Disagree, 5 = Strongly Disagree.
The scale includes 19 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 30 to 150. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low level of attitudes associated with sexual/relationship concerns: 30 – 70
- Moderate level of attitudes associated with sexual/relationship concerns: 71 – 110
- High level of attitudes associated with sexual/relationship concerns: 111 – 150
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Overall Scale alpha: .70 – .80.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 15 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.