Family Sex Communication Quotient – FSCQ
Measures a general family orientation to discussion about sex between parents and children across comfort, information, and value dimensions.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Family Sex Communication Quotient – FSCQ was developed by Clay Warren & Michael Neer (1986). It is designed to measure Family sex communication orientation. The scale is intended for use with Adolescents and adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 18 items organized into 3 factors/subscales: Comfort, Information, Value.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Comfort | 2,5,8,11,14,17 | 6 |
| Information | 3,6,9,12,15,18 | 6 |
| Value | 1,4,7,10,13,16 | 6 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a 5-point Likert scale (1 = Strongly Disagree to 5 = Strongly Agree).
The scale includes 6 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 18 to 90. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low orientation toward family sex communication: 18 – 39
- Moderate orientation toward family sex communication: 40 – 69
- High orientation toward family sex communication: 70 – 90
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Alpha > .90.
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.