Scale Overview
The Negative Attitudes Toward Masturbation Scale (NAMS) was developed by Paul R. Abramson, Donald L. Mosher (1975). It is designed to measure Masturbation-guilt. The scale is intended for use with Adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 30 items organized into 3 factors/subscales: Positive Attitudes toward Masturbation, False Beliefs about the Harmful Nature of Masturbation, Personally Experienced Negative Affects.
| Factor / Subscale |
Items |
N |
| Positive Attitudes toward Masturbation |
3,5,8,11,13,14,17,22,27,29 |
10 |
| False Beliefs about the Harmful Nature of Masturbation |
1,2,4,6,7,9,15,16,19,20,21,24,26,28 |
14 |
| Personally Experienced Negative Affects |
10,12,18,23,25,30 |
6 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 1 = Not at all true for me, 2 = Somewhat untrue, 3 = Undecided, 4 = Somewhat true, 5 = Strongly true for me.
The scale includes 10 reverse-scored items to reduce acquiescence bias.
Scoring
Items are summed to produce a total score.
Total scores range from 30 to 150. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low negative attitudes / Low masturbation guilt: 30 – 70
- Moderate negative attitudes / Moderate masturbation guilt: 71 – 110
- High negative attitudes / High masturbation guilt: 111 – 150
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of 0.94.
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.