Preliminary analysis of the Female Genital Self-Image Scale (FGIS-4) and the Male Genital Self-Image Scale (MGIA-5) in an international sample of adults with spina bifida.
Devon J Hensel, Tori Sciara, Rosalia Misseri, John S Wiener, Joshua D Roth, Konrad M Szymanski
{"title":"Preliminary analysis of the Female Genital Self-Image Scale (FGIS-4) and the Male Genital Self-Image Scale (MGIA-5) in an international sample of adults with spina bifida.","authors":"Devon J Hensel, Tori Sciara, Rosalia Misseri, John S Wiener, Joshua D Roth, Konrad M Szymanski","doi":"10.1093/jsxmed/qdaf033","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Common chronic health conditions associated with spina bifida (SB) may impact sexual health among adults in this population, including genital self-image (GSI), but no studies explore this topic.</p><p><strong>Aim: </strong>The primary aim of this study was to provide a preliminary psychometric assessment of the four-item Female Genital Self-Image Scale (FGSIS-4) and the five-item Male Genital Self-Image Scale (MGSIS-5) for use among adults with SB. A secondary aim was to describe the association of GSI with key demographic, health, and sexual experience characteristics.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>An international online survey collecting background and clinical data was administered to adults with SB over 12 months. We assessed internal consistency, construct validity, and convergent validity for GSI. Bivariate regression was used to explore the individual associations of each variable with the FGSIS-4 and MGSIS-5.</p><p><strong>Outcomes: </strong>GSI was measured using the 4-item Female Genital Self-Image Scale (FGSIS-4) and the 5-item Male Genital Self-Image Scale (MGSIS-5); sexual function measures (sexual desire and overall satisfaction) from the Female Sexual Function Index and the International Index of Erectile Function; and health-related quality of life with Quality of Life Assessment in Spina Bifida for Adults.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Participants (N = 217 women and N = 146 men) were primarily heterosexual and had a median partial-to-full college education. Half of all the participants were in a relationship and living independently. A third of both men and women were community ambulators, and a quarter of both reported full genital sensation. About half of the sample (women: 47.1%; men: 46.2%) reported clean intermittent catheterization (CIC). Both scales demonstrated good internal reliability (FGSIS-4: 0.845; MGSIS-5: 0.877) and a single-factor construct structure. Higher FGSIS-4 and MGSIS-5 scores correlated positively with sexual desire overall sexual satisfaction, health-related quality of life, and urinary continence but did not vary with using CIC.</p><p><strong>Clinical implications: </strong>Because GSI negatively impacts sexual health and sexual function, clinicians treating patients with SB should consider discussing GSI as part of routine care.</p><p><strong>Strengths and limitations: </strong>Although this research measured women's and men's GSI behavior in a large international sample of adults with SB, it is limited by its cross-sectional and retrospective design, as well as by its non-clinical convenience sample.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The FGSIS-4 and MGSIS-5 show preliminary desirable psychometric properties for the measurement of GSI in the SB population.</p>","PeriodicalId":51100,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Sexual Medicine","volume":" ","pages":"877-887"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3000,"publicationDate":"2025-05-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Journal of Sexual Medicine","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1093/jsxmed/qdaf033","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"UROLOGY & NEPHROLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Introduction: Common chronic health conditions associated with spina bifida (SB) may impact sexual health among adults in this population, including genital self-image (GSI), but no studies explore this topic.
Aim: The primary aim of this study was to provide a preliminary psychometric assessment of the four-item Female Genital Self-Image Scale (FGSIS-4) and the five-item Male Genital Self-Image Scale (MGSIS-5) for use among adults with SB. A secondary aim was to describe the association of GSI with key demographic, health, and sexual experience characteristics.
Methods: An international online survey collecting background and clinical data was administered to adults with SB over 12 months. We assessed internal consistency, construct validity, and convergent validity for GSI. Bivariate regression was used to explore the individual associations of each variable with the FGSIS-4 and MGSIS-5.
Outcomes: GSI was measured using the 4-item Female Genital Self-Image Scale (FGSIS-4) and the 5-item Male Genital Self-Image Scale (MGSIS-5); sexual function measures (sexual desire and overall satisfaction) from the Female Sexual Function Index and the International Index of Erectile Function; and health-related quality of life with Quality of Life Assessment in Spina Bifida for Adults.
Results: Participants (N = 217 women and N = 146 men) were primarily heterosexual and had a median partial-to-full college education. Half of all the participants were in a relationship and living independently. A third of both men and women were community ambulators, and a quarter of both reported full genital sensation. About half of the sample (women: 47.1%; men: 46.2%) reported clean intermittent catheterization (CIC). Both scales demonstrated good internal reliability (FGSIS-4: 0.845; MGSIS-5: 0.877) and a single-factor construct structure. Higher FGSIS-4 and MGSIS-5 scores correlated positively with sexual desire overall sexual satisfaction, health-related quality of life, and urinary continence but did not vary with using CIC.
Clinical implications: Because GSI negatively impacts sexual health and sexual function, clinicians treating patients with SB should consider discussing GSI as part of routine care.
Strengths and limitations: Although this research measured women's and men's GSI behavior in a large international sample of adults with SB, it is limited by its cross-sectional and retrospective design, as well as by its non-clinical convenience sample.
Conclusion: The FGSIS-4 and MGSIS-5 show preliminary desirable psychometric properties for the measurement of GSI in the SB population.
期刊介绍：
The Journal of Sexual Medicine publishes multidisciplinary basic science and clinical research to define and understand the scientific basis of male, female, and couples sexual function and dysfunction. As an official journal of the International Society for Sexual Medicine and the International Society for the Study of Women''s Sexual Health, it provides healthcare professionals in sexual medicine with essential educational content and promotes the exchange of scientific information generated from experimental and clinical research.
The Journal of Sexual Medicine includes basic science and clinical research studies in the psychologic and biologic aspects of male, female, and couples sexual function and dysfunction, and highlights new observations and research, results with innovative treatments and all other topics relevant to clinical sexual medicine.
The objective of The Journal of Sexual Medicine is to serve as an interdisciplinary forum to integrate the exchange among disciplines concerned with the whole field of human sexuality. The journal accomplishes this objective by publishing original articles, as well as other scientific and educational documents that support the mission of the International Society for Sexual Medicine.
求助内容：
应助结果提醒方式：
京公网安备 11010802042870号
