Sexual Self-Efficacy Scale for Female
Functioning
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Sally Bailes,1 Laura Creti, Catherine S. Fichten, Eva Libman,
and William Brender, SMBD– Jewish General Hospital
Rhonda Amsel, McGill University
The evaluation and alteration of self-efficacy expectations is important in the
cognitive-behavioral treatment of psychosexual problems. The Sexual Self-
Efficacy Scale for females (SSES-F) is a measure of perceived competence in the
behavioral, cognitive, and affective dimensions of female sexual response.
Recently, researchers studying women’s perceived sexual self-efficacy, using the
SSES-F, have focused on sexual adjustment (Reissing, Laliberte, & Davis, 2005),
marital satisfaction (Oluwole, 2008), and the treatment of genital pain (Sutton,
2009).
1
Address correspondence to Sally Bailes, Department of Psychiatry, SMBD-
Jewish General Hospital, 4333 Cote Ste. Catherine, Montreal, Quebec, H3T 1E4,
Canada; e-mail: sally.bailes@mail.mcgill.ca
Description
The SSES-F was developed as a multidimensional counterpart to the SSES-E
(erectile function in men), and has been used for clinical screening and
assessment, as well as for research (Fichten et al., 2010; Libman, Rothenberg,
Fichten, & Amsel, 1985).
The SSES-F has 37 items, sampling capabilities in four phases of sexual
response: interest, desire, arousal, and orgasm. In addition, the measure samples
diverse aspects of female individual and interpersonal sexual expression (e.g.,
communication, body comfort and acceptance, and enjoyment of various sexual
activities). The instrument includes the following subscales determined by factor
analysis (items in parentheses): Interpersonal Orgasm (4, 28, 29, 30, 32, 33, 34,
36, 37), Interpersonal Interest/Desire (1, 5, 6, 7, 9, 22), Sensuality (17, 18, 19, 20,
21, 27), Individual Arousal (24, 25, 26, 31), Affection (8, 15, 16), Communication
(12, 13, 14, 23, 35), Body Acceptance (2, 3), and Refusal (10, 11).
The SSES-F may be used by single or partnered women of all ages. Female
respondents indicate those activities they can do and, for each of these, rate their
confidence level. In addition, their partners can rate how they perceive the
respondents’ capabilities and confidence levels.
Additional material pertaining to this scale, including information about
format, scoring, reliability, and validity is available in Fisher, Davis, Yarber, and
Davis (2010).
Fisher, T. D., Davis, C. M., Yarber, W. L., & Davis, S. L. (2010). Handbook of
Sexuality-Related Measures. New York: Routledge.