Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Review
  • Published:

Inventories for male and female sexual dysfunctions

International Journal of Impotence Research volume 18, pages 236–250 (2006)Cite this article

Abstract

Several illnesses can distress sexual health and disrupt sexuality, an integral part of being human. These illnesses are not different in origin from those affecting other health areas, but, because sexuality is involved, effective communication and empathy between the physician and the patient may be severely hindered by negative feelings such as anxiety and guiltiness. A detailed general and sexual history is, however, an essential step in evaluating patients for sexual dysfunction (SD). Finding the correct way to ask questions and to decode answers on sexual health and disease might be difficult and, in some way, embarrassing. Hence, validated and standardized sexual inventories might help physicians confront SD. These case-history tools have the advantage of being standardized, easy to administer and score, relatively unobtrusive and substantially inexpensive. This review describes the main sexual inventories hitherto described and validated in different sexual areas of health and disease, and the advantages of the two main formats available to clinicians, that is, structured interviews (SIs) and self-report questionnaires (SRQs). Both types of inventories are composed of a set of standardized, written probe questions requiring a finite number of responses, driven by an interviewer (SIs) or by the patients themselves (SRQs). SRQs allow more time and intimacy to organize and develop answers to delicate questions, as are those on sexual life. In addition, SRQs could also be very useful in quantifying disease severity and treatment outcome. On the other hand, SIs help achieve a better patient–physician relationship and reduce the risk of misunderstandings.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Ackerman MD, Carey MP . Psychology's role in the assessment of erectile dysfunction: historical precedents, current knowledge, and methods. J Consult Clin Psychol 1995; 63: 862–876.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Petrone L, Mannucci E, Corona G, Bartolini M, Forti G, Giommi R et al. Structured Interview on Erectile Dysfunction (SIEDY): a new, multidimensional instrument for quantification of pathogenetic issues on erectile dysfunction. Int J Impot Res 2003; 15: 210–220.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Rosen RC, Riley A, Wagner G, Osterloh IH, Kirkpatrick J, Mishra A . The international index of erectile function (IIEF): a multidimensional scale for assessment of erectile dysfunction. Urology 1997; 49: 822–830.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Rosen RC . Evaluation of the patient with erectile dysfunction: history, questionnaires, and physical examination. Endocrine 2004; 23: 107–111.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Rosen RC, Cappelleri JC, Smith MD, Lipsky J, Pena BM . Development and evaluation of an abridged, 5-item version of the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5) as a diagnostic tool for erectile dysfunction. Int J Impot Res 1999; 11: 319–326.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Cappelleri JC, Rosen RC, Smith MD, Mishra A, Osterloh IH . Diagnostic evaluation of the erectile function domain of the International Index of Erectile Function. Urology 1999; 54: 346–351.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Kassouf W, Carrier S . A comparison of the International Index of Erectile Function and erectile dysfunction studies. BJU Int 2003; 91: 667–669.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Blander DS, Sanchez-Ortiz RF, Broderick GA . Sex inventories: can questionnaires replace erectile dysfunction testing? Urology 1999; 54: 719–723.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Jannini EA, Lombardo F, Salacone P, Gandini L, Lenzi A . Treatment of sexual dysfunctions secondary to male infertility with sildenafil citrate. Fertil Steril 2003; 81: 705–707.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. O'Leary MP, Fowler FJ, Lenderking WR, Barber B, Sagnier PP, Guess HA . A brief male sexual function inventory for urology. Urology 1995; 46: 697–706.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Geisser ME, Murray FT, Cohen MS, Shea PJ, Addeo RR . Use of the Florida Sexual History Questionnaire to differentiate primary organic from primary psychogenic impotence. J Androl 1993; 14: 298–303.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Rosen RC, Catania J, Pollack L, Althof S, O'Leary M, Seftel AD . Male Sexual Health Questionnaire (MSHQ): scale development and psychometric validation. Urology 2004; 64: 777–782.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Rust J, Golombok S . The GRISS: a psychometric instrument for the assessment of sexual dysfunction. Arch Sex Behav 1986; 15: 157–165.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. van Lankveld JJ, van Koeveringe GA . Predictive validity of the Golombok Rust Inventory of Sexual Satisfaction (GRISS) for the presence of sexual dysfunctions within a Dutch urological population. Int J Impot Res 2003; 15: 110–116.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Wincze J, Rosen R, Carson C, Korenman S, Niederberger C, Sadovsky R et al. Erection quality scale: initial scale development and validation. Urology 2004; 64: 351–356.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. McGahuey CA, Gelenberg AJ, Laukes CA, Moreno FA, Delgado PL, McKnight KM et al. The Arizona Sexual Experience Scale (ASEX): reliability and validity. J Sex Marital Ther 2000; 26: 25–40.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Soykan A . The reliability and validity of Arizona sexual experiences scale in Turkish ESRD patients undergoing hemodialysis. Int J Impot Res 2004; 16: 531–534.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Derogatis LR . The Derogatis Interview for Sexual Functioning (DISF/DISF-SR): an introductory report. J Sex Marital Ther 1997; 23: 291–304.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Derogatis LR, Melisaratos N . The DSFI: a multidimensional measure of sexual functioning. J Sex Marital Ther 1979; 5: 244–281.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Derogatis LR, Meyer JK, Dupkin CN . Discrimination of organic versus psychogenic impotence with the DSFI. J Sex Marital Ther 1976; 2: 229–240.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Segraves RT, Schoenberg HW, Zarins CK, Knopf J, Camic P . Discrimination of organic versus psychological impotence with the DSFI: a failure to replicate. J Sex Marital Ther 1981; 7: 230–238.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. LoPiccolo J, Steger JC . The sexual interaction inventory: a new instrument for assessment of sexual dysfunction. Arch Sex Behav 1974; 3: 585–595.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Corona G, Mannucci E, Petrone L, Giommi R, Mansani R, Fei L et al. Psychobiological correlates of hypoactive sexual desire in patients with erectile dysfunction. Int J Impot Res 2004; 16: 275–281.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Corona G, Mannucci E, Mansani R, Petrone L, Bartolini M, Giommi R et al. Aging and pathogenesis of erectile dysfunction. Int J Impot Res 2004; 16: 395–402.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Corona G, Mannucci E, Mansani R, Petrone L, Bartolini M, Giommi R et al. Organic, relational and psychological factors in erectile dysfunction in men with diabetes mellitus. Eur Urol 2004; 46: 222–228.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Corona G, Petrone L, Mannucci E, Jannini EA, Mansani R, Magini A et al. Psycho-biological correlates of rapid ejaculation in patients attending an andrologic unit for sexual dysfunctions. Eur Urol 2004; 46: 615–622.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Corona G, Petrone L, Mannucci E, Mansani R, Balercia G, Krausz C et al. Difficulties in achieving versus maintaining erection: organic, psychogenic and relational determinants. Int J Impot Res 2005; 17: 252–258.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Corona G, Mannucci E, Petrone L, Ricca V, Balercia G, Mansani R et al. Association of hypogonadism and type 2 diabetes in men attending an outpatient erectile dysfunction clinic. Int J Impot Res [E-pub ahead of print, 1 September 2005; doi:10.1038/sj.ijir.3901391].

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Corona G, Mannucci E, Petrone L, Ricca V, Mansani R, Cilotti A et al. Psycho-biological correlates of smoking in patients with erectile dysfunction. Int J Impot Res 2005, [Epub ahead of print].

  30. Corona G, Petrone L, Mannucci E, Ricca V, Balercia G, Giommi R et al. The impotent couple: low desire. Int J Androl 2005; 28(S2): 46–52.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Giommi R, Corona G, Maggi M . The therapeutic dilemma: how to use psychotherapy. Int J Androl 2005; 28(S2): 81–85.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Althof SE . Quality of life and erectile dysfunction. Urology 2002; 59: 803–810.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Giuliano F, Pena BM, Mishra A, Smith MD . Efficacy results and quality-of-life measures in men receiving sildenafil citrate for the treatment of erectile dysfunction. Qual Life Res 2001; 10: 359–369.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Costa P, Arnould B, Cour F, Boyer P, Marrel A, Jaudinot EO et al. Quality of Sexual Life Questionnaire (QVS): a reliable, sensitive and reproducible instrument to assess quality of life in subjects with erectile dysfunction. Int J Impot Res 2003; 15: 173–184.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Laumann EO, Paik A, Rosen RC . Sexual dysfunction in the United States: prevalence and predictors. JAMA 1999; 281: 537–544.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Williams JL . Ready, set, stop: reflections on assessing Quality of Life and the WHOQoL-100 (US version)- World health organization Quality of Life. J Clin Epidemiol 2000; 53: 13–17.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. Cappelleri JC, Althof SE, Siegel RL, Shpilsky A, Bell SS, Duttagupta S . Development and validation of the Self-Esteem And Relationship (SEAR) questionnaire in erectile dysfunction. Int J Impot Res 2004; 16: 30–38.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. Althof SE, Cappelleri JC, Shpilsky A, Stecher V, Diuguid C, Sweeney M et al. Treatment responsiveness of the Self-Esteem And Relationship questionnaire in erectile dysfunction. Urology 2003; 61: 888–892.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  39. Latini DM, Penson DF, Colwell HH, Lubeck DP, Mehta SS, Henning JM et al. Psychological impact of erectile dysfunction: validation of a new health related quality of life measure for patients with erectile dysfunction. J Urol 2002; 168: 2086–2091.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  40. Penson DF, Latini DM, Lubeck DP, Wallace K, Henning JM, Lue T . Is quality of life different for men with erectile dysfunction and prostate cancer compared to men with erectile dysfunction due to other causes? Results from the ExCEED database. J Urol 2003; 169: 1458–1461.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  41. MacDonagh R, Ewings P, Porter T . The effect of erectile dysfunction on quality of life: psychometric testing of a new quality of life measure for patients with erectile dysfunction. J Urol 2002; 167: 212–217.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  42. Stamogiannou I, Grunfeld EA, Denison K, Muir G . Beliefs about illness and quality of life among men with erectile dysfunction. Int J Impot Res 2005; 17: 142–147.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  43. Wagner TH, Patrick DL, McKenna SP, Froese PS . Cross-cultural development of a quality of life measure for men with erection difficulties. Qual Life Res 1996; 5: 443–449.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  44. Lewis R, Bennett CJ, Borkon WD, Boykin WH, Althof SE, Stecher VJ et al. Patient and partner satisfaction with Viagra (sildenafil citrate) treatment as determined by the Erectile Dysfunction Inventory of Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire. Urology 2001; 57: 960–965.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  45. Kubin M, Trudeau E, Gondek K, Seignobos E, Fugl-Meyer AR . Early conceptual and linguistic development of a patient and partner treatment satisfaction scale (TSS) for erectile dysfunction. Eur Urol 2004; 46: 768–774.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  46. Jannini EA, Lenzi A . Ejaculatory disorders: epidemiology and current approaches to definition, classification and subtyping. World J Urol 2005; 23: 68–75.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  47. Jannini EA, Simonelli C, Lenzi A . Disorders of ejaculation. J Endocrinol Invest 2002; 25: 1006–1019.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  48. Jannini EA, Simonelli C, Lenzi A . Sexological approach to ejaculatory dysfunction disorders. Int J Androl 2002; 25: 317–323.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  49. Goldstein I, Lue TF, Padma-Nathan H, Rosen RC, Steers WD, Wicker PA . Oral sildenafil in the treatment of erectile dysfunction. N Engl J Med 1998; 338: 1397–1404.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  50. Yuan YM, Xin ZC, Jiang H, Guo YJ, Liu WJ, Tian L et al. Sexual dysfunction of premature ejaculation patients assayed with Chinese Index of Premature Ejaculation. Asian J Androl 2004; 6: 121–126.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  51. Jannini EA, Lombardo F, Lenzi A . Correlation between ejaculatory and erectile dysfunction. Int J Androl 2005; 28(S2): 40–45.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  52. Waldinger MD . Towards evidence-based drug treatment research on premature ejaculation: a critical evaluation of methodology. Int J Impot Res 2003; 15: 309–313.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  53. Rowland DL, Cooper SE, Schneider M . Defining premature ejaculation for experimental and clinical investigations. Arch Sex Behav 2001; 30: 235–253.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  54. American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edn, Text revision edn. American Psychiatric Association: Washington, DC, 2000.

  55. Grenier G, Byers ES . Operationalizing premature ejaculation or rapid ejaculation. J Sex Res 2001; 38: 369–378.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  56. Patrick DL, Althof SE, Pryor JL, Rosen R, Rowland DL, Ho KF et al. Premature ejaculation: an observational study of men and their partners. J Sex Med 2005; 2: 358–367.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  57. Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. Female Sexual Dysfunction: Clinical Development of Drug Products for Treatment. US Department of Health and Human Services: Rockville, MD, 2000.

  58. Rosen RC . Assessment of female sexual dysfunction: review of validated methods. Fertil Steril 2002; 77(Suppl 4): S89–S93.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  59. Taylor JE, Rosen RC, Leiblum SR . Self-report assessment of female sexual function: psychometric evaluation of the Brief Index of Sexual Functioning for Women (BSFI-W). Arch Sex Behav 1994; 23: 627–643.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  60. Mazer NA, Leiblum SR, Rosen RC . The Brief index of Sexual Function for Women (BISF-W): a new scoring algorithm and comparison of normative and surgically menopausal populations. Menopause 2000; 7: 350–363.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  61. Shifren JL, Braunstein GD, Simon JA, Casson PR, Buster JE, Redmond GP et al. Transdermal testosterone treatment in women with impaired sexual function after ooforectomy. N Engl J Med 2000; 342: 682–688.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  62. Meston CM, Derogatis LR . Validated instruments for assessing female sexual function. J Sex Marital Ther 2002; 28(Suppl): 155–164.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  63. Rosen R, Brown C, Heiman J, Leiblum S, Meston C, Shabsigh R et al. The Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI): a multidimensional self-reported instrument for the assessment of female sexual function. J Sex Marital Ther 2000; 26: 191–208.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  64. Heiman JR . Issues in the use of psychophysiology to assess female sexual dysfunction. J Sex Marital Ther 1976; 2: 197–204.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  65. Meston SM . Validation of the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) in women with female orgasmic disorder and in women with hypoactive sexual desire disorder. J Sex Marital Ther 2003; 29: 39–46.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  66. Quirk FH, Heiman JR, Rosen RC, Laan E, Smith MD, Boolell M . Development of a sexual function questionnaire for clinical trials of female sexual dysfunction. J Womens Health Gend Based Med 2002; 11: 277–289.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  67. Berman LA, Berman JR, Werbin T, Chabra S, Goldstein I . The use of the female intervention efficacy index (FIEI) as an immediate outcome measure of medical intervention to treat female sexual dysfunction. J Sex Marital Ther 2001; 27: 427–433.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  68. Derogatis L, Rust J, Golombok S, Bouchard C, Nachtigall L, Rodenberg C et al. Validation of the profile of Female Sexual Function (PFSF) in surgically and naturally menopausal women. J Sex Marital Ther 2004; 30: 25–36.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  69. McCoy N, Matyas J . Oral contraceptives and sexuality in university women. Arch Sex Behav 1996; 25: 73–79.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  70. Dennerstein L, Anderson-Hunt M, Dudley E . Evaluation of a short scale to assess female sexual functioning. J Sex Marital Ther 2002; 28: 389–397.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  71. Clayton AH, McGarvey EL, Clavet GJ, Piazza L . Comparison of sexual functioning in clinical and non-clinical populations using the Changes in Sexual Functioning Questionnaire (CSFQ). Psychopharmacol Bull 1997; 33: 747–753.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  72. Meston CM, Derogatis LR . Validated instruments for assessing female sexual function. J Sex Marital Ther 2002; 28(Suppl 1): 155–164.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  73. Jannini EA, Lenzi A . Introduction to the integrated model: medical, surgical and psychological therapies for the couple. J Endocrinol Invest 2003; 26(Suppl 3): 128–131.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We thank Luisa Petrone, Gianni Forti, Andrology Unit, University of Florence, Edoardo Mannucci, Diabetes Section Geriatric Unit, Department of Critical Care, University of Florence; for their helpful clinical collaboration during the course of the study. This study was partially supported by the Centro di Ricerca Trasferimento ed Alta Formazione MCIDNENT of the University of Florence.

Author information

Author notes

  1. G Corona and E A Jannini: Both these authors contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Clinical Physiopathology, Andrology Unit, University of Florence, Florence, Italy

    G Corona & M Maggi

  2. Department of Experimental Medicine, Course of Endocrinology & Medical Sexology, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy

    E A Jannini

Authors
  1. G Corona
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. E A Jannini
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. M Maggi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to M Maggi.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Corona, G., Jannini, E. & Maggi, M. Inventories for male and female sexual dysfunctions. Int J Impot Res 18, 236–250 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijir.3901410

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijir.3901410

Keywords

This article is cited by

Search

Advanced search

Quick links