Attitudes Toward Sexuality Scale – ATSS
Measures general sexual attitudes, ranging from conservatism to permissiveness, in adolescents and adults.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Attitudes Toward Sexuality Scale – ATSS was developed by Terri D. Fisher & Richard G. Hall (1988). It is designed to measure Sexual attitudes. The scale is intended for use with Adolescents and adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 13 items.
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a 5-point Likert scale (1 = Strongly Disagree to 5 = Strongly Agree).
The scale includes 7 reverse-scored items to reduce acquiescence bias.
Scoring
Items are summed to produce a total score.
Total scores range from 13 to 65. Interpretation guidelines:
- Conservative sexual attitudes: 13 – 38
- Permissive sexual attitudes: 39 – 65
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Cronbach's alpha: .75 (adolescents), .84 (parents).
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 5 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.