Construction and psychometric properties of sexuality scales: Sex Knowledge, Experience, and Needs scales for people with intellectual disabilities (SexKen-ID), people with physical disabilities (SexKen-PD), and the general population (SexKen-GP)

This study reports oil the development and assessment of the psychometric p roperties of three measures to assess sexual knowledge, experience, feeling s, and needs. The first was designed to assess the Sexual Knowledge, Experi ence, Feelings, and Needs of people with mild intellectual disabilities (Se xKen-ID). The two parallel measures were designed to assess the same areas of sexuality among people with physical disabilities (SexKen-PD) and among rite general population (SexKen-GP). The areas of sexuality included in the scales were Friendship, Dating and Intimacy, Marriage, Body Part Identific ation, Sex and Sex Education, Menstruation, Sexual Interaction, Contracepti on Pregnancy, Abortion and Childbirth, Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Mastu rbation, and Homosexuality. Generation of the items in these scales is desc ribed in Studies 1-3. Study 4 describes the evaluation of the psychometric properties of the scales. Sixty-six people with intellectual disabilities, 54 people with physical disabilities and 100 people from the general popula tion completed the scales. Test-retest reliabilities were also calculated w ith 30 people with intellectual disabilities, 30 people with physical disab ilities, and 30 people from the general population. These data demonstrate the good psychometric properties of the scales and so their simitability fo r assessing the sexual knowledge, experience, feelings, and needs of people with disability (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd.