F.M. Nimbi

Sexual Modes Questionnaire (SMQ): Translation and Psychometric Properties of the Italian Version of the Automatic Thought Scale

BACKGROUND The Sexual Modes Questionnaire (SMQ) is a validated and widespread used tool to assess the association among negative automatic thoughts, emotions, and sexual response during sexual activity in men and women. AIM To test the psychometric characteristics of the Italian version of the SMQ focusing on the Automatic Thoughts subscale (SMQ-AT). METHODS After linguistic translation, the psychometric properties (internal consistency, construct, and discriminant validity) were evaluated. 1,051 participants (425 men and 626 women, 776 healthy and 275 clinical groups complaining about sexual problems) participated in the present study. OUTCOMES 2 confirmatory factor analyses were conducted to test the fit of the original factor structures of the SMQ versions. In addition, 2 principal component analyses were performed to highlight 2 new factorial structures that were further validated with confirmatory factor analyses. Cronbach α and composite reliability were used as internal consistency measures and differences between clinical and control groups were run to test the discriminant validity for the male and female versions. The associations with emotions and sexual functioning measures also are reported. RESULTS Principal component analyses identified 5 factors in the male version: erection concerns thoughts, lack of erotic thoughts, age- and body-related thoughts, negative thoughts toward sex, and worries about partners evaluation and failure anticipation thoughts. In the female version 6 factors were found: sexual abuse thoughts, lack of erotic thoughts, low self-body image thoughts, failure and disengagement thoughts, sexual passivity and control, and partners lack of affection. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the adequacy of the factor structure for men and women. Moreover, the SMQ showed a strong association with emotional response and sexual functioning, differentiating between clinical and control groups. CLINICAL TRANSLATION This measure is useful to evaluate patients and design interventions focused on negative automatic thoughts during sexual activity and to develop multicultural research. STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS This study reports on the translation and validation of the Italian version of a clinically useful and widely used measure (assessing automatic thoughts during sexual activity). Limits regarding sampling technique and use of the Automatic Thoughts subscale are discussed in the article. CONCLUSION The present findings support the validity and the internal consistency of the Italian version of the SMQ-AT and allow the assessment of negative automatic thoughts during sexual activity for clinical and research purposes. Nimbi FM, Tripodi F, Simonelli C, Nobre P. Sexual Modes Questionnaire (SMQ): Translation and Psychometric Properties of the Italian Version of the Automatic Thought Scale. J Sex Med 2018;15:396-409.

Procreazione medicalmente assistita e maternità surrogata: stato dell’arte e prospettive future della genitorialità nelle coppie omosessuali

SommarioLa genitorialità per le coppie omosessuali spesso può transitare attraverso prassi e tecniche mediche che includono la procreazione medicalmente assistita (PMA) o la gravidanza surrogata (surrogacy). Il presente lavoro ha lo scopo di riportare, attraverso una breve rassegna della letteratura, i principali articoli riguardanti l’omogenitorialità e le biotecnologie della riproduzione. Le significative differenze riscontrate tra le pubblicazioni esaminate riguardano le norme di legge che variano tra Stati, evidenziando l’attuale contrarietà legislativa dell’Europa alla surrogacy.

A review of infrared thermography as applied to human sexual psychophysiology

Infrared thermography (IRT) is a non-contact technique that permits mapping and analysis of the temperature of the bodys skin surface. This method has been applied to sexual psychophysiology since the 1980s and its use has been expanding ever since, mainly because it provides several advantages over existing genital response measures. This article presents a review of experimental studies employing IRT to investigate human sexual arousal, with the aim of summarizing the available procedures and evidence so far and to identify important caveats in the literature. The studies reviewed support the feasibility and validity of IRT as a real-time physiological measure of sexual arousal but varied substantially regarding methodology and procedures. The results of this review underscore the value and validity of IRT in sexual psychophysiology and point at the critical need for the standardization of IRT protocols to accommodate the specific needs of applying this methodology to sexual physiology.

Questionnaire of Cognitive Schema Activation in Sexual Context: translation and psychometric properties of the Italian version

The Questionnaire of Cognitive Schema Activation in Sexual Context (QCSASC) is a validated and widespread used measure to assess the self-schemas elicited during sexual negative events in both men and women. The current study aimed to test the psychometric characteristics of the Italian version of the QCSASC in both heterosexual men and women. After linguistic translation, the psychometric properties (internal consistency, construct and discriminant validity) were evaluated in 1038 participants (435 men and 603 women, 767 healthy and 271 clinicals complaining of sexual problems). Confirmatory factor analyses showed a not satisfactory fit of the original factor structure of the QCSASC versions. Principal component analyses were performed highlighting two new factorial structures, further validated with CFAs (“Helpless” and “Unlovable”). Cronbach’s alpha, composite reliability and average variance extracted were used as internal consistency measures. Moreover, the QCSASC showed a strong association with emotional response and sexual functioning, being able to differentiate between sexually clinical and control group. Current findings support the validity and the internal consistency of the QCSASC Italian version and allows to assess dysfunctional cognitive schemas activated when facing sexual problematic situations for both clinical and research purposes.

Endometriosi e infertilità: impatto su sessualità, relazione di coppia, qualità della vita e benessere psicologico

L’obiettivo dello studio e stato quello di esplorare le differenze in funziona-mento sessuale, soddisfazione relazionale e sessuale, ansia e qualita della vita, tra pazienti affette da endometriosi con e senza infertilita, con l’ipotesi che quest’ul-tima fosse associata a punteggi piu critici su tutte le aree. Lo studio e stato condot-to su 71 donne che hanno compilato: un questionario socio-anagrafico, il World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL)-Bref, il McCoy Female Sexuality Questionnaire (MFS-Q), il Female Sexual Functioning Index (FSFI) e l’Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A). Il gruppo senza infertilita ha ottenuto punteggi peggiori in tutte le aree analizzate, tranne nell’ansia. I risultati dello studio suggeri-scono l’importanza di un approccio BPS integrato durante la fase di diagnosi e di trattamento che coinvolga il partner per tutto il processo.

Extraversion and Neuroticism in Sexually Dysfunctional Men Suffering fromErectile Dysfunction and Premature Ejaculation: A Cross-Sectional Study

The role of personality traits in sexual complaints and dysfunctions is ever more evident. However, the literature is very scarce as to the possible relationships between such personality traits and specific sexual dysfunctions like ED, PE or both, their subtypes as to time of onset and severity levels. The main aim of the present study was to investigate if Neuroticism and Extraversion have different roles and trends in men suffering from PE and/or ED, both lifelong and acquired. Moreover, we verified if, by adopting DSM-IV-TR and DSM-5 criteria for diagnosing PE, some differences emerged in percentages of diagnosed cases. The sample consisted of 222 patients aged 18-70. The International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-15) was used to assess erectile function, and the Premature Ejaculation Severity Index (PESI) was used to assess the severity of PE dysfunction. Neuroticism and Extraversion were measured with the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire-Revised (EPQ-R). In our results, Neuroticism and Extraversion were dependent on the kind of sexual dysfunction and its severity. These results suggest that type, time of onset and severity of sexual dysfunctions should be considered as related to specific personality characteristics and vice versa.

L’approccio integrato in sessuologia Teoria e prassi clinica

Negli ultimi anni in sessuologia si e diffusa rapidamente l’integrazione di specialisti, modelli e tecniche. Questo articolo descrive l’evoluzione degli approcci nella terapia sessuale fino alla diffusione del modello biopsicosociale (BPS) nel sistema sanitario. L’approccio integrato e la diretta conseguenza e implementazione del modello BPS in sessuologia clinica. A partire dall’esperienza dell’Istituto di Sessuologia Clinica (ISC) di Roma nella clinica e nei corsi di formazione, brevemente descritta, vengono evidenziati i limiti e le risorse dell’approccio integrato, che prende idealmente in considerazione e da la stessa importanza a corpo, mente, relazioni e contesto.

Tratti psicopatici e distorsioni cognitive nei sex offender: una ricerca sul campo

Lo scopo di questo studio e valutare la personalita dei sex offender e dei loro stili di pensiero per la prevenzione del reato stesso e della sua recidiva. Metodo: I partecipanti alla ricerca sono dodici detenuti presso la Casa Circondariale di Pesaro (PU) per reati a sfondo sessuale perpetrati verso bambini e/o donne. Gli strumenti usati sono: una griglia per la raccolta dell’anamnesi e delle informazioni riguardo al crimine, la PCL-R, il VRAQ e il HSAQ, due questionari sulle distorsioni cognitive in validazione in Italia. Risultati e conclusioni: L’analisi dei dati non ha evidenziato forti correlazioni. Vengono descritte e discusse le relazioni emerse nonostante l’esiguita del campione. Si conferma una difficolta nel tracciare un profilo di personalita del sex offender e vengono messe in luce nuove prospettive di ricerca.