Sexuality Scale (SS)
Snell & Papini — Sexual Esteem, Depression & Preoccupation
How do you feel about yourself sexually? The SS measures three dimensions: Sexual Esteem (confidence as a partner), Sexual Depression (negative feelings about your sex life), and Sexual Preoccupation (excessive focus on sexual thoughts). 30 items, 5-point scale, about 8 minutes.
How do you feel about yourself, sexually?
The Sexuality Scale (SS) is a 30-item self-report that looks at three dimensions of how people experience their sexuality: confidence, distress, and how much headspace sex takes up.
Snell and Papini published it in 1989. It was among the first tools to move beyond counting sexual behaviors and instead measure the cognitive and emotional side of sexual experience.
The three dimensions:
- Sexual Esteem (10 items) — confidence in yourself as a sexual partner. High scorers feel positive about their sexual abilities and relationships.
- Sexual Depression (8 items) — sadness or dissatisfaction with your sexual life. This isn't about general depression; it's specific to the sexual domain.
- Sexual Preoccupation (10 items) — tendency to think about sex frequently. High scorers spend a lot of mental energy on sexual thoughts.
Reliability: Internal consistency ranges from .79 to .94 across dimensions. Test-retest correlations range from .67 to .76.
> ⚠️ This scale measures subjective sexual experience, not behavior frequency or sexual function. It's a research instrument, not a clinical diagnostic tool.
Scoring Guide
Three independent dimension scores (1-5 per item): Sexual Esteem (10 items), Sexual Depression (8 items), Sexual Preoccupation (10 items). Items 11 and 14 are fillers (not scored). 13 reverse-scored items.Result Interpretation
After completing the 30 questions, you'll receive an immediate, detailed report with:
- Your score — calculated automatically based on your responses
- Score interpretation — what your score means in practical terms
- Dimension breakdown — separate scores for each sub-scale
- Context — how your results compare to general population norms where available
All results are displayed on screen. No account or login needed.