Multidimensional Sexual Perfectionism Questionnaire [MSPQ]

Description

The Multidimensional Sexual Perfectionism Questionnaire (MSPQ) is a psychometric instrument designed to assess expectations, demands, and attitudes related to sexual performance.

The scale examines aspects such as self-oriented perfectionism, perfectionistic expectations associated with one’s partner, and socially influenced expectations regarding sexuality.

Purpose

The main purpose of the MSPQ is to examine how sexual perfectionism may influence sexual functioning and psychological well-being.

More specifically, the instrument aims to:

• assess expectations individuals place on themselves and others regarding sexual performance,
• examine relationships between perfectionism, sexual satisfaction, and self-esteem,
• explore its impact on interpersonal relationships,
• support therapeutic interventions aimed at reducing the negative effects of perfectionism on sexual health and well-being,
• contribute to research on the relationship between perfectionism and sexual behavior.

Dimensions

According to the provided material, the MSPQ assesses different forms of sexual perfectionism, including:

• Self-oriented sexual perfectionism
• Partner-related perfectionistic expectations
• Socially influenced expectations regarding sexual performance

The provided material does not include a detailed item-to-subscale allocation.

Scoring

Participants respond to the statements using a 7-point Likert scale:

1 = Not at all in agreement
to
7 = Strongly in agreement

The resulting scores provide an estimate of the individual’s level of sexual perfectionism.

Higher scores generally indicate stronger perfectionistic expectations related to sexual performance.

Data Analysis and Use

MSPQ data may be used to examine relationships between sexual perfectionism and variables such as:

• sexual satisfaction,
• self-esteem,
• psychological distress,
• interpersonal relationships,
• sexual behavior.

Depending on the research design, statistical analysis may include descriptive statistics, correlations, group comparisons, and multivariate models.

Applications

The MSPQ may be used in:

• psychological and sexological research,
• studies of perfectionism and sexual functioning,
• clinical and counseling settings,
• research on sexual satisfaction and self-esteem,
• studies of interpersonal relationships and psychological well-being.

References

Flett, G. L., & Hewitt, P. L. (2002). Perfectionism and maladjustment: An overview of theoretical, definitional, and treatment issues. In Perfectionism: Theory, Research, and Treatment (pp. 5–31).

Snell, W. E. (1998). The Multidimensional Sexual Perfectionism Questionnaire. Journal of Sex Research, 35(3), 273–281.

Grzegorek, J. L., Slaney, R. B., Franze, S., & Rice, K. G. (2004). Self-criticism, dependency, self-esteem, and grade point average satisfaction among clusters of perfectionists and nonperfectionists. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 51(2), 192–200.

Dunkley, D. M., & Blankstein, K. R. (2000). Self-critical perfectionism, coping, hassles, and current distress: A structural equation modeling approach. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 24(6), 713–730.