This article was downloaded by: [Nanyang Technological University] On: 26 April 2015, At: 15:45 Publisher: Routledge Informa Ltd Registered in England and Wales Registered Number: 1072954 Registered office: Mortimer House, 37-41 Mortimer Street, London W1T 3JH, UK
Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy Publication details, including instructions for authors and subscription information: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/usmt20
The assessment of sexual and marital function Published online: 14 Jan 2008.
To cite this article: (1979) The assessment of sexual and marital function, Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy, 5:3, 167-168, DOI: 10.1080/00926237908403729 To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00926237908403729
PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR ARTICLE Taylor & Francis makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of all the information (the “Content”) contained in the publications on our platform. However, Taylor & Francis, our agents, and our licensors make no representations or warranties whatsoever as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability for any purpose of the Content. Any opinions and views expressed in this publication are the opinions and views of the authors, and are not the views of or endorsed by Taylor & Francis. The accuracy of the Content should not be relied upon and should be independently verified with primary sources of information. Taylor and Francis shall not be liable for any losses, actions, claims, proceedings, demands, costs, expenses, damages, and other liabilities whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with, in relation to or arising out of the use of the Content. This article may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution, reselling, loan, sub-licensing, systematic supply, or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at http://www.tandfonline.com/page/termsand-conditions
Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy Vol. 5, No. 3, Fall 1979
Editorial
Downloaded by [Nanyang Technological University] at 15:45 26 April 2015
The Assessment of Sexual and Marital Function T h e scientific understanding of human behavior depends upon the identification and description of relevant psychological variables and the development of methods of measurement to gather, quantify, and analyze information from individuals and groups. These data provide a basis for judgments about the characteristics of a particular individual or population and for the generation of predictions about future behavior. During the past forty years the field of psychological measurement has been growing at an exponential‘rate and efforts at the objective assessment of psychological function have resulted in the availability of increasingly sophisticated and precise instruments. T h e scope of measurement has expanded from its original emphasis on intelligence to include dimensions of human behavior such as attitudes, special abilities, maturation, achievement, and personality. Although the initial attempts at measuring marital adjustment dates back to the ~ O ’ Sit, was not until the beginning of the 60’s that serious psychometric efforts concerned with human sexual function were initiated. In the fall of 1976 this Journal published an issue designed to emphasize the relevance of psychophysiological and endocrine methods for the study of normal and pathological sexual behavior. At the time it was stated that there was “a parallel need for subjective measures of sexual attitudes, arousal and responsiveness and their application together with other psychological dimensions in future psychophysiological investigations.” T h e present issue is devoted in its entirety to the psychological assessment and measurement of sexual and marital functioning. T h e first article by Schiavi, Derogatis, Kuriansky, O’Connor and Sharpe provides, after a brief historical and psychometric presentation, a panoramic view of available instruments for the assessment of sexual function and marital interaction. This article originated from the activities of the Research Committee of the Eastern Association for Sex Therapy in response to the need of members of this organization for standardized and objective techniques that could permit the characterization of patient groups, the study of therapeutic process and outcome evaluation of various treatment methods. T h e list of instruments included in this article, together with their most relevant psychometric characteristics, although not complete, is representative of a range of tests, questionnaires, inventories and scales for the assessment of sexual and marital function. 167 0092-623X/79/ 1500-0)167$00.95
@ 1979 Human Sciences Press
Downloaded by [Nanyang Technological University] at 15:45 26 April 2015
168
Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy
Nowinski and LoPiccolo emphasize in their article that the use of psychological tests not only have research value but can also contribute significantly to clinical practice. T h e authors describe the assessment procedures conducted at the Sex Therapy Center of the Department of Psychiatry at Stony Brook and illustrate the central role that a battery of paper and pencil self-report inventories can have in the evaluation and treatment of couples with sexual problems. T h e issue of clinical relevance and utility is also considered by Derogatis and Melisaratos in their presentation of the Derogatis Sexual Function Inventory (DSFI) which focuses on the individual rather than the couple as the subject of measurement. Their article describes, in some depth, the construction of a multidimensional scale of human sexual function as well as the evaluation of its psychometric properties. Miller and Lief in the following article describe the development and application of the Sex Knowledge and Attitude Test (SKAT) which is likely the most frequently used test for the study of sexual attitudes and knowledge. T h e authors suggest that the value of this instrument which has been extensively used in educational settings, has not been fully realized in sex therapy research. T h e literature on the assessment of marital quality, adjustment and satisfaction is summarized by Spanier who discusses various conceptual problems and methodological issues dealing with the measurement of marital adjustment. T h e author then describes his work toward the construction and clinical application of a scale that assesses dyadic adjustment. It is hoped that this issue will bring to the readers’ attention the need for, as well as the availability of, psychological measures designed to assess the various dimensions of sexual functioning and marital interaction. These instruments not only play a significant role in the development of a scientific base for o u r fields of interest, but also may contribute directly to o u r clinical work with individuals and couples in distress.
R.C.S.
Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy Publication details, including instructions for authors and subscription information: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/usmt20
The assessment of sexual and marital function Published online: 14 Jan 2008.
To cite this article: (1979) The assessment of sexual and marital function, Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy, 5:3, 167-168, DOI: 10.1080/00926237908403729 To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00926237908403729
PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR ARTICLE Taylor & Francis makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of all the information (the “Content”) contained in the publications on our platform. However, Taylor & Francis, our agents, and our licensors make no representations or warranties whatsoever as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability for any purpose of the Content. Any opinions and views expressed in this publication are the opinions and views of the authors, and are not the views of or endorsed by Taylor & Francis. The accuracy of the Content should not be relied upon and should be independently verified with primary sources of information. Taylor and Francis shall not be liable for any losses, actions, claims, proceedings, demands, costs, expenses, damages, and other liabilities whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with, in relation to or arising out of the use of the Content. This article may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution, reselling, loan, sub-licensing, systematic supply, or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at http://www.tandfonline.com/page/termsand-conditions
Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy Vol. 5, No. 3, Fall 1979
Editorial
Downloaded by [Nanyang Technological University] at 15:45 26 April 2015
The Assessment of Sexual and Marital Function T h e scientific understanding of human behavior depends upon the identification and description of relevant psychological variables and the development of methods of measurement to gather, quantify, and analyze information from individuals and groups. These data provide a basis for judgments about the characteristics of a particular individual or population and for the generation of predictions about future behavior. During the past forty years the field of psychological measurement has been growing at an exponential‘rate and efforts at the objective assessment of psychological function have resulted in the availability of increasingly sophisticated and precise instruments. T h e scope of measurement has expanded from its original emphasis on intelligence to include dimensions of human behavior such as attitudes, special abilities, maturation, achievement, and personality. Although the initial attempts at measuring marital adjustment dates back to the ~ O ’ Sit, was not until the beginning of the 60’s that serious psychometric efforts concerned with human sexual function were initiated. In the fall of 1976 this Journal published an issue designed to emphasize the relevance of psychophysiological and endocrine methods for the study of normal and pathological sexual behavior. At the time it was stated that there was “a parallel need for subjective measures of sexual attitudes, arousal and responsiveness and their application together with other psychological dimensions in future psychophysiological investigations.” T h e present issue is devoted in its entirety to the psychological assessment and measurement of sexual and marital functioning. T h e first article by Schiavi, Derogatis, Kuriansky, O’Connor and Sharpe provides, after a brief historical and psychometric presentation, a panoramic view of available instruments for the assessment of sexual function and marital interaction. This article originated from the activities of the Research Committee of the Eastern Association for Sex Therapy in response to the need of members of this organization for standardized and objective techniques that could permit the characterization of patient groups, the study of therapeutic process and outcome evaluation of various treatment methods. T h e list of instruments included in this article, together with their most relevant psychometric characteristics, although not complete, is representative of a range of tests, questionnaires, inventories and scales for the assessment of sexual and marital function. 167 0092-623X/79/ 1500-0)167$00.95
@ 1979 Human Sciences Press
Downloaded by [Nanyang Technological University] at 15:45 26 April 2015
168
Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy
Nowinski and LoPiccolo emphasize in their article that the use of psychological tests not only have research value but can also contribute significantly to clinical practice. T h e authors describe the assessment procedures conducted at the Sex Therapy Center of the Department of Psychiatry at Stony Brook and illustrate the central role that a battery of paper and pencil self-report inventories can have in the evaluation and treatment of couples with sexual problems. T h e issue of clinical relevance and utility is also considered by Derogatis and Melisaratos in their presentation of the Derogatis Sexual Function Inventory (DSFI) which focuses on the individual rather than the couple as the subject of measurement. Their article describes, in some depth, the construction of a multidimensional scale of human sexual function as well as the evaluation of its psychometric properties. Miller and Lief in the following article describe the development and application of the Sex Knowledge and Attitude Test (SKAT) which is likely the most frequently used test for the study of sexual attitudes and knowledge. T h e authors suggest that the value of this instrument which has been extensively used in educational settings, has not been fully realized in sex therapy research. T h e literature on the assessment of marital quality, adjustment and satisfaction is summarized by Spanier who discusses various conceptual problems and methodological issues dealing with the measurement of marital adjustment. T h e author then describes his work toward the construction and clinical application of a scale that assesses dyadic adjustment. It is hoped that this issue will bring to the readers’ attention the need for, as well as the availability of, psychological measures designed to assess the various dimensions of sexual functioning and marital interaction. These instruments not only play a significant role in the development of a scientific base for o u r fields of interest, but also may contribute directly to o u r clinical work with individuals and couples in distress.
R.C.S.
