Brief Description
The Male Sexual Health Questionnaire (MSHQ) is a self-report assessment tool designed to evaluate various aspects of male sexual function, including erectile function, ejaculatory function, sexual desire, and overall satisfaction. It is commonly used in clinical and research settings to assess sexual health concerns related to aging, medical conditions (such as prostate surgery or diabetes), and treatment outcomes. The MSHQ consists of multiple items rated on a Likert scale, with higher scores indicating better sexual function. It is a validated measure used to track changes in sexual health over time and aid in clinical decision-making.
Assessment Administration Type
Self-report
Number of questions
30
Age Range for Administration
The MSHQ has only been validated in samples of men 50 years and older.
Recommended Frequency of Administration
Monthly, or as clinically indicated
Summary of Scoring and Interpretations
The MSHQ does not produce a total score that is interpretable. Instead, there are three primary domain scores (i.e., Erection, Ejaculation, and Satisfaction) and three additional domain scores, which provide supplemental information regarding sexual functioning/wellbeing (i.e., Sexual Activity and Desire, Erection Bother, Ejaculation Bother). Items are scored on Likert-type scales with varying ranges based on the provided response options. The measure also includes dichotomous items–items 21-24 (Yes = 0, No = 1).
The Sexual Activity and Desire subscale includes subquestions associated with an answer of “0 times per month” on item 19 (“In the last month, how often have you had sexual activity, including masturbating, intercourse, oral sex, or any other type of sex?”). These subquestions are items 20-24 on Blueprint and are not included in calculating any subscale scores. This subscale is not interpreted, although can provide helpful insight into aspects of sexual activity and desire.
Domain | Items | Score Range | Higher Scores Indicate |
Erection | 1-3 | 0-15 | Higher level of sexual functioning |
Ejaculation | 5-11 | 1-35 | Higher level of sexual functioning |
Satisfaction | 13-18 | 6-30 | Higher level of satisfaction |
Sexual Activity and Desire | 19-30 | N/A | N/A |
Erection Bother | 4 | 1-5 | Lower level of bother |
Ejaculation Bother | 12 | 1-5 | Lower level of bother |
Normative data, or values to compare scores to specific samples or the general population, are not available.
Blueprint Adjustments
Blueprint has 30 questions, rather than the 25 items of the original questionnaire, due to including subquestions associated with item 19 (i.e., items 20-24).
Clinical Considerations
Estimated time for completion: 10-15 minutes
Clinicians can track changes in symptoms over time, making the MSHQ useful for monitoring treatment response to interventions like:
Medications (e.g., phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors for ED, such as Viagra)
Hormonal therapies (e.g., testosterone replacement)
Psychotherapy (e.g., cognitive-behavioral therapy for performance anxiety)
Sexual health is closely linked to overall well-being and mental health, and the MSHQ provides insights into emotional distress related to sexual dysfunction, relationship concerns and impact on intimacy, and satisfaction with sexual activity.
The MSHQ is particularly useful for assessing sexual function in older men, men with chronic illnesses (e.g., diabetes, cardiovascular disease), and men undergoing oncological treatments (e.g., prostate cancer therapies).
Citation
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