Measuring Subjective Sexual Arousal Without Sex or Relationship Status Bias

What is it about?

Sexual arousal combines physiological reactions (notably the genital response) and psychological ones (the subjective assessment a person makes of this experience). Due to this dual dimension, measuring it has traditionally been a challenge, especially regarding the subjective experience, that is, what the person perceives and feels. In both research and clinical settings, having precise tools that function equivalently, regardless of sex or having or not a partner to avoid biases and ensure a valid assessment. Aiming to delve deeper into the assessment of sexual arousal, this study examines the measurement equivalence of the Rating of Sexual Arousal (RSA) scale, a tool that assesses subjective sexual arousal in response to specific sexual stimuli. Their goal was to verify its performance based on sex and relationship status to guarantee an equivalent measurement across groups. The research involved the participation of 324 heterosexual cisgender adults between the ages of 18 and 32. After watching a video with explicit sexual content, the participants completed the Spanish version of the RSA scale, which consists of five items: Overall level of arousal, intensity of genital sensations, sensation of warmth experienced, nongenital physical sensations, and level of sexual concentration The results confirmed that the RSA presents strict measurement equivalence. This means that the scale's structure and the meaning of its items are the same for men and women, as well as for people with or without a partner, allowing for comparisons that minimize biases between these groups. Furthermore, the study revealed the absence of significant differences in subjective sexual arousal between men and women, and between individuals with and without a partner.

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Photo by Patricia Serna on Unsplash

Photo by Patricia Serna on Unsplash

Why is it important?

This study highlights the utility of the RSA as an assessment instrument that provides valid measures of sexual arousal, both in clinical practice and laboratory research, enabling comparisons between men and women, and between those with and without a partner. Thanks to this advancement, we now have a validated instrument that facilitates a more precise and standardized assessment of the subjective sexual arousal response in diverse contexts.

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