Brief Sexual Attitudes Scale (BSAS)
A 23-item multidimensional scale designed to assess sexual attitudes across four distinct factors: Permissiveness, Birth Control, Communion, and Instrumentality.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Brief Sexual Attitudes Scale (BSAS) was developed by Susan S. Hendrick, Clyde Hendrick, & Amy Reich (2006). It is designed to measure Sexual Attitudes. The scale is intended for use with Adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 23 items organized into 4 factors/subscales: Permissiveness, Birth Control, Communion, Instrumentality.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Permissiveness | 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10 | 10 |
| Birth Control | 11,12,13 | 3 |
| Communion | 14,15,16,17,18 | 5 |
| Instrumentality | 19,20,21,22,23 | 5 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a 5-point Likert scale (1 = Strongly Disagree to 5 = Strongly Agree).
Scoring
Items are scored by subscale, with each subscale sum representing a distinct dimension.
Total scores range from 1 to 5. Interpretation guidelines:
- High endorsement of the attitude/subscale dimension: 1 – 2
- Moderate endorsement of the attitude/subscale dimension: 2 – 3
- Low endorsement of the attitude/subscale dimension: 3 – 5
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Alphas: Permissiveness = .95, Birth Control = .88, Communion = .73, Instrumentality = .77.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 7 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.