An exploration of the factor structure of Gray et al.’s Sexual Fantasy Questionnaire

Abstract

The accurate assessment of sexual fantasy use is important for both research and forensic/clinical practice. Although a number of sexual fantasy questionnaires exist, they tend to be associated with high financial cost for researchers, outdated or ambiguous terminology, and/or embody ethical problems arising from overtly explicit items. One measure that does not contain these issues is Gray et al.’s (2003) Sexual Fantasy Questionnaire (SFQ). While the SFQ has recently gained some interest from researchers, it has not been thoroughly validated. Thus, in this study, we combined data from three online survey-based samples (N = 594) to examine the factor structure underpinning the SFQ. After conducting parallel and principal components analyses, a six-factor structure was settled upon. The resulting SFQ-revised contained 62-items, with the six factors reflecting the following fantasy themes: (1) masochistic, (2) sadistic, (3) romantic, (4) impersonal, (5) pre/tactile courtship disorder, and (6) bodily function. Data on how the six clusters differ across genders, sexual orientation, and relationship status are also provided. We also developed a short version of the SFQ-revised (37-items) for use when time or space are constrained. The theoretical and methodological significance of the revised SFQs are discussed, as well as recommendations for research and practice.

Understanding Sexual Aggression in UK Male University Students: An Empirical Assessment of Prevalence and Psychological Risk Factors

“…Sexual Fantasy Questionnaire Revised – Short Version (SFQ-R-SV; Bartels & Harper, 2018 ): Atypical sexual fantasies were assessed using a modified version of the SFQ-R-SV, comprising items from the “Masochistic,” “Sadistic,” “Impersonal,” and “Pre/Tactile Courtship Disorder” clusters (27 items in total). The “Romantic” and “Bodily Functions” clusters were not included as they are not regularly endorsed by community samples ( Bartels & Harper, 2018 ).…”

“…Sexual Fantasy Questionnaire Revised – Short Version (SFQ-R-SV; Bartels & Harper, 2018 ): Atypical sexual fantasies were assessed using a modified version of the SFQ-R-SV, comprising items from the “Masochistic,” “Sadistic,” “Impersonal,” and “Pre/Tactile Courtship Disorder” clusters (27 items in total). The “Romantic” and “Bodily Functions” clusters were not included as they are not regularly endorsed by community samples ( Bartels & Harper, 2018 ). Using a 5-point Likert scale from Have never fantasized about (0) to Have fantasized about very frequently (4), participants reported how often they had fantasized about each of the sexual behaviors described.…”

Psychopathic Personality as a Moderator of the Relationship Between Atypical Sexuality and Sexual Coercion Proclivity in the General Population

“…Sadomasochistic sexual fantasy is a risk factor for committing sexual abuse and is also associated with psychopathy (e.g., Baughman et al, 2014;Porter et al, 2003;Woodworth et al, 2013). Sexual fantasy is defined as mental imagery found to be sexually arousing (Leitenberg & Henning, 1995) and is indicative of healthy sexual function (Bartels & Harper, 2018). That is, a lack of sexual fantasizing is a major component of hypoactive sexual disorders in both males and females (Nutter & Condron, 1983, 1985, and persistent sexual fantasizing is a core aspect of hypersexuality (Dyer & Olver, 2016;Kafka, 2010;Walton & Bhullar, 2018).…”

Understanding Sexual Aggression in UK Male University Students: An Empirical Assessment of Prevalence and Psychological Risk Factors

“…The SES-SFP has demonstrated excellent internal consistency with university males in the US (e.g., Johnson et al, 2017), as well as structural and convergent validity (Anderson et al, 2017). Bartels & Harper, 2018). Atypical sexual fantasies were assessed using a modified version of the SFQ-R-SV, comprising items from the "Masochistic," "Sadistic," "Impersonal," and "Pre/Tactile Courtship Disorder" clusters (27 items in total).…”

“…Atypical sexual fantasies were assessed using a modified version of the SFQ-R-SV, comprising items from the "Masochistic," "Sadistic," "Impersonal," and "Pre/Tactile Courtship Disorder" clusters (27 items in total). The "Romantic" and "Bodily Functions" clusters were not included as they are not regularly endorsed by community samples (Bartels & Harper, 2018). Using a 5-point Likert scale from Have never fantasized about (0) to Have fantasized about very frequently (4), participants reported how often they had fantasized about the sexual behaviours described.…”