Clitoral Self-Stimulation Scale – CSSS
Measures the frequency of women's self-stimulation of the clitoris and genitals in the presence of a partner, as well as their attitudes and affective reactions to such self-stimulation.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Clitoral Self-Stimulation Scale – CSSS was developed by Alexandra McIntyre-Smith, William A. Fisher (2010). It is designed to measure Clitoral self-stimulation in the presence of a partner. The scale is intended for use with Heterosexually active women.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 6 items organized into 2 factors/subscales: Attitudes Towards Clitoral Self-Stimulation, Affective Reactions to Clitoral Self-Stimulation.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Attitudes Towards Clitoral Self-Stimulation | 1,2,5 | 3 |
| Affective Reactions to Clitoral Self-Stimulation | 3,4 | 2 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 1 = Very Bad / Very Unimportant / Strongly Disagree / Very Difficult, 2 = Moderately Bad / Moderately Unimportant / Moderately Disagree / Moderately Difficult, 3 = Slightly Bad / Slightly Unimportant / Slightly Disagree / Slightly Difficult, 4 = Neither Good nor Bad / Neither Important nor Unimportant / Neither Agree nor Disagree / Neither Easy nor Difficult, 5 = Slightly Good / Slightly Important / Slightly Agree / Slightly Easy, 6 = Moderately Good / Moderately Important / Moderately Agree / Moderately Easy, 7 = Very Good / Very Important / Strongly Agree / Very Easy, 0% = 0% of the time (Item 6), 1-25% = 1–25% of the time (Item 6), 26-50% = 26–50% of the time (Item 6), 51-75% = 51–75% of the time (Item 6), 76-99% = 76–99% of the time (Item 6), 100% = 100% of the time (Item 6).
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 25 to 210. Interpretation guidelines:
- Total Weighted Score Range (Higher scores indicate a greater proclivity for engaging in self-stimulation of the clitoris or genitals during sexual interaction with a partner): 25 – 210
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Total scale Cronbach's alpha = .82–.86.
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.