Sexual Modes Questionnaire – Female Version (SMQ-F)
Assesses the automatic thoughts experienced by women during sexual activity, evaluating the cognitive component of sexual response.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Sexual Modes Questionnaire – Female Version (SMQ-F) was developed by Pedro J. Nobre, José Pinto-Gouveia (2003). It is designed to measure Cognitive schemas and automatic thoughts during sexual activity. The scale is intended for use with Adult women.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 33 items organized into 7 factors/subscales: Sexual Abuse Thoughts, Failure and Disengagement Thoughts, Partner’s Lack of Affection, Sexual Passivity and Control, Lack of Erotic Thoughts, Low Self Body-Image Thoughts, Unclassified.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Sexual Abuse Thoughts | 1,2,3,4,6,15,32,33 | 8 |
| Failure and Disengagement Thoughts | 19,22,26,30 | 4 |
| Partner's Lack of Affection | 7,12,24,27,28 | 5 |
| Sexual Passivity and Control | 10,14,17,21,23,29 | 6 |
| Lack of Erotic Thoughts | 5,8,11,25,31 | 5 |
| Low Self Body-Image Thoughts | 9,16,20 | 3 |
| Unclassified | 13,18 | 2 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 1 = Never, 2 = Seldom, 3 = Sometimes, 4 = Often, 5 = Always.
The scale includes 5 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 33 to 165. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low frequency of negative automatic thoughts: 33 – 65
- Mild frequency of negative automatic thoughts: 66 – 98
- Moderate frequency of negative automatic thoughts: 99 – 131
- High frequency of negative automatic thoughts: 132 – 165
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Cronbach's alpha = 0.87 (total scale).
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.