Scale Overview
The Sexual Self-Schema Scale – Women’s Version (SSS) was developed by Anna O. Levin, Barbara L. Andersen (1994). It is designed to measure Sexual Self-Schema. The scale is intended for use with Women.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 50 items organized into 3 factors/subscales: Passionate/Romantic, Directness/Openness, Embarrassment or Conservatism.
| Factor / Subscale |
Items |
N |
| Passionate/Romantic |
5,11,20,35,37,39,44,45,48,50 |
10 |
| Directness/Openness |
2,5,9,13,16,18,24,25,32 |
9 |
| Embarrassment or Conservatism |
3,8,22,28,31,38,41 |
7 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 0 = Not at all Descriptive of Me, 1 = 1, 2 = 2, 3 = 3, 4 = 4, 5 = 5, 6 = Very Much Descriptive of Me.
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 -42 to 114. Interpretation guidelines:
- Negatively Schematic / Low Positive Schema: -42 – 35
- Positively Schematic / High Positive Schema: 36 – 114
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Total scale alpha = .82, Passionate/Romantic = .81, Directness/Openness = .77, Embarrassment/Conservatism = .66.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 10 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.