Description of the Questionnaire

The Sexual Interaction System Scale (SISS) is a self-report questionnaire designed to assess the quality of the sexual interaction of a heterosexual couple, as well as specific sexual dysfunctions. Each partner responds individually, and both individual and couple scores can be obtained. The SISS consists of forty-eight statements, which cover five factors: Sexual Functioning with ten items, Attitudinal Set with seven items, Nonsexual Interaction with twelve items, Interaction Coordination with six items, and Postsexual Interaction with ten items. Each statement is answered on a six-point scale from 0 to 5, where 0 means not at all, never, does not occur in our relationship, and 5 means always, occurs in our relationship.

Purpose

The purpose of the SISS is to systematically capture the couple’s experience during sexual activity, focusing on sexual functioning (desire, arousal, orgasm, pain), on attitudes and maturity of perceptions about sexuality, on the presence or absence of nonsexual conflicts or dynamics, on coordination during the sexual act, and on the sense of closeness or distance after sex. The questionnaire is used both in clinical settings, such as in cases of sexual dysfunctions and couples in therapy, as well as in premarital or relationship enrichment programs.

Scoring

Each individual can achieve a score ranging from zero to two hundred and twenty-five points. Higher scores indicate more positive sexual interaction. The maximum scores for each factor are fifty for Sexual Functioning, thirty-five for Attitudinal Set, sixty for Nonsexual Interaction, thirty for Interaction Coordination, and fifty for Postsexual Interaction. Certain items require reverse scoring. The total couple score is calculated as the sum of both partners’ individual scores.

Analysis and Use of Data

The individual profile is used to identify difficulties in sexual functioning or in the perception of the relationship. Scores can be compared with a nonclinical sample as well as with a sample of couples with sexual dysfunction. Interpretation is based on the principle that low scores indicate difficulties, while large discrepancies between partners highlight potential sources of disharmony. In clinical practice, the SISS allows therapeutic interventions to be targeted at specific factors, such as coordination, attitudes, or nonsexual conflicts.

References

American Psychiatric Association. (1987). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (3rd ed., rev.). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association. Schnarch, D. M. (1991). Constructing the Sexual Crucible. New York: Norton. Verhulst, J., & Heiman, J. (1979). An interactional approach to sexual dysfunction. American Journal of Family Therapy, 7(4), 19–36. Woody, J. D. (1992). Treatment for Sexual Distress: Integrative Systems Therapy. Newbury Park, CA: Sage. Woody, J. D., & D’Souza, H. J. (1994). The Sexual Interaction System Scale: A new inventory for assessing sexual dysfunction and sexual distress. Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy, 20, 210–228.