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Brief%20Index%20of%20Sexual%20Functioning%20for%20Women%20(BISF-W)
Availability
Please email the authors for information about obtaining the instrument: RRosen@neriscience.com
Classification
Short Description of Instrument
The Brief Index of Sexual Functioning for Women (BISF-W) is a self-report, 22- item questionnaire designed to assess sexual functioning and satisfaction in women.
The BISF-W requires 15-20 min to administer.
Scoring
A composite score can now be generated by adding domains one through six and subtracting the seventh domain. The seventh domain (problems affecting sexual function) is subtracted so that a higher score will reflect a greater degree of sexual function. The range of composite scores is from -16 (poor function) to
+75 (maximal function).
Psychometric Properties
Seven domains are now evaluated; thoughts/desire, arousal, frequency of sexual activity, receptivity/initiation, pleasure/orgasm, relationship satisfaction, and problems affecting sexual function.
The BISF is only of only three scales with adequate psychometric studies, but is the scale previously used in the female PD population. It does not assess long- term information on the participants' sexual function. The assessment is limited to the past 30 days. Lack of recent sexual activity will lower the overall composite score. Aside from surgical menopause, the device has not been extensively validated in other conditions of sexual dysfunction.
Major advantages of the BISF-W are its ease of administration and scoring, suitability for use in both clinical and nonclinical samples, and assessment of key dimensions of female sexuality.
References
Taylor JF, Rosen RC, Leiblum SR. Self Report assessment of female sexual function: psychometric evaluation of the Brief Index of Sexual Functioning in Women. Arch Sex Behav 1994; 23: 627-643.
Mazer NA, Leiblum SR, Rosen RC. The brief index of sexual functioning for women (BISF-W): a new scoring algorithm and comparison of normative and surgically menopausal populations. Menopause. 2000 Sep-Oct;7(5):350-63
 
Document last updated August 2022