Validation of brief screening application for assessing sex addiction (PATHOS) and Prediction of sex addiction in Iranian population

Abstract

Introduction Sex addiction is a major psychiatric disorder in which a person is compelled to participate in sexual activities despite negative consequences. This study was conducted to localize a brief sex addiction screening instrument (PATHOS) for use in the Iranian population and to determine variables predictive of sex addiction in the general Iranian population. Methods In this study, we evaluated the psychometric properties of PATHOS in a sample of 443 Iranians in 2018. Data were analyzed using exploratory factor analysis (Factor 10.8.04 software). Simple and multiple linear regression analyses were used to investigate construct validity and variables predictive of addiction. Results Exploratory factor analysis identified two factors in this dichotomous questionnaire and reported the questionnaire’s test-retest reliability in the target population. Prognostic variables for sexual addiction in the Iranian population were determined to be female gender, higher education, viewing pornographic videos, having multiple sex partners, having difficulty interacting in sex, and history of masturbation. Conclusion The Persian version of the brief sex addiction screening instrument (PATHOS) has sufficient reliability and validity in the Iranian population. The predictive variables of sex addiction are indicative of the presence of risk of this disorder in Iranian samples and more studies are needed in order to enable prevention and treatment.

The Relationship Between Sex Addiction and Shame Moderated by Overt and Covert Narcissism in a Gender-Balanced Adult Sample

“…For self-compassion, and selfesteem our results were slightly lower than the global reliability score (Hayes et al, 2016;Kotera & Sheffield, 2020;Tinakon & Nahathai, 2012), therefore, these scales might not have worked for this sample. Previous reliability scores for sex addiction were greater than what was found in this study, but reliability was calculated through the Kuder-Richardson coefficient (Carnes et al, 2012;Zareiyan et al, 2021). This shows that the PATHOS sex addiction scale also might not have worked with this sample.…”