Evidence of Measurement Invariance of the Rating of Sexual Arousal Across Sex and Relationship Status

Abstract

The Rating of Sexual Arousal is a scale that allows for the assessment of subjective sexual arousal in specific contexts, such as a laboratory. It has been validated in the Spanish population; however, considering its relevance due to its relationship with important variables for sexual health, it is necessary to continue investigating its psychometric properties to expand its use. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine its measurement invariance by sex (men vs. women) and relationship status (being in a relationship vs. not being in a relationship). A total of 324 cisgender heterosexual adults, aged 18-32 years (mean age 21.08 ± 2.83), participated in the study. Participants answered the Sociodemographic and Sexual History Questionnaire and the Spanish version of the Rating of Sexual Arousal after viewing a video with explicit sexual content. The results indicated the equivalence of the measure at a strict level and no significant Differential Item Functioning across items by sex and relationship status. No significant differences were observed in Rating of Sexual Arousal scores across the sociodemographic variables evaluated; furthermore, these variables did not significantly predict subjective sexual arousal. In conclusion, this study supports the usefulness of the Rating of Sexual Arousal and its relative independence from sociodemographic variables, which highlights its applicability for research and clinical practice.