Moving Beyond a Binary Cis-Heteronormative Perspective: A Scoping Review of Instruments for Inclusive Research into Sexual Functioning.

Abstract

Cis- and heteronormativity hinder the valid measurement of sexual function in Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity (SOGD) populations. This study aimed to identify instruments designed for inclusive use and to evaluate their cross-cultural and psychometric characteristics. A scoping review was conducted by searching PubMed, EBSCOhost, and Web of Science in April 2026. The search terms included sexual function, gender, sexual orientation, assessment instruments, and psychometric information. Screening, data extraction, and quality grading were performed independently by two reviewers. Fifteen articles described the development or validation of instruments for use among SOGD populations. Notably, non-binary individuals were included in only one study. For most instruments, adequate content and structural validity, and internal consistency were reported, but evidence for cross-gender, cross-sexual orientation, cross-cultural, criterion, and construct validity was lacking or unclear. Limited or no information was provided on test-retest reliability, measurement error, and responsiveness to changes in sexual function for the instruments used. Most identified instruments were validated in narrowly defined subgroups or assessed only a single domain of sexual functioning, limiting their suitability as general, SOGD-inclusive measures. This review supports the need to develop and validate new inclusive instruments to measure sexual function, including SOGD populations.