Test-retest reliability and predictors of unreliable reporting for a sexual behavior questionnaire for U.S. men. Arch Sex Behav 2010 Dec;39(6):1343-52
Date
08/26/2009Pubmed ID
19705273DOI
10.1007/s10508-009-9522-6Scopus ID
2-s2.0-78651059857 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 5 CitationsAbstract
Accurate knowledge about human sexual behaviors is important for increasing our understanding of human sexuality; however, there have been few studies assessing the reliability of sexual behavior questionnaires designed for community samples of adult men. A test-retest reliability study was conducted on a questionnaire completed by 334 men who had been recruited in Tucson, Arizona. Reliability coefficients and refusal rates were calculated for 39 non-sexual and sexual behavior questionnaire items. Predictors of unreliable reporting for lifetime number of female sexual partners were also assessed. Refusal rates were generally low, with slightly higher refusal rates for questions related to immigration, income, the frequency of sexual intercourse with women, lifetime number of female sexual partners, and the lifetime number of male anal sex partners. Kappa and intraclass correlation coefficients were substantial or almost perfect for all non-sexual and sexual behavior items. Reliability dropped somewhat, but was still substantial, for items that asked about household income and the men's knowledge of their sexual partners' health, including abnormal Pap tests and prior sexually transmitted diseases (STD). Age and lifetime number of female sexual partners were independent predictors of unreliable reporting while years of education was inversely associated with unreliable reporting. These findings among a community sample of adult men are consistent with other test-retest reliability studies with populations of women and adolescents.
Author List
Nyitray AG, Harris RB, Abalos AT, Nielson CM, Papenfuss M, Giuliano ARAuthor
Alan Nyitray PhD Associate Professor in the Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine department at Medical College of WisconsinMESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
AdolescentAdult
Age Factors
Arizona
Educational Status
Homosexuality, Male
Humans
Male
Multivariate Analysis
Reproducibility of Results
Sexual Behavior
Sexual Partners
Socioeconomic Factors
Surveys and Questionnaires
Young Adult
