Development of a Structure-Validated Hypersexuality Scale in Chinese University Students

Abstract BackgroundHypersexuality is associated with many psychiatric disorders and creates enormous burden for the affected individual, family and society. However, there is no structure-validated questionnaire available to measure hypersexuality in a comprehensive way, especially in aspects of emotion and stress. MethodsWe designed a matrix of 72 items related to hypersexual experience, and we invited 282 heterosexual university students who experienced hypersexuality at least once life-long to answer the matrix. ResultsThrough exploratory factor analyses and exploratory structural equation modeling, we constructed a Hypersexuality Scale, with a satisfactory model structure of five factors (or scales, 4 items for each scale) of hypersexuality, and named them as the Negative Impact, Emotional Coping, Uncontrolled Behavior, Post-sex Regret, and Increased Interest. Most inter-correlations of these factors were significant but in low or medium levels in all participants. Male students scored significantly higher on Negative Impact and Increased Interest than females did. ConclusionsThe five scales described in this study might help to understand hypersexuality, and the Hypersexuality Scale might be applied to the clinical conditions related to hypersexuality.