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The Multiple Sclerosis Intimacy and Sexuality Questionnaire (MSISQ‐15): Validation of the Dutch version in patients with multiple sclerosis and spinal cord injury
Author(s) -
Noordhoff Toscane C.,
Scheepe Jeroen R.,
't Hoen Lisette A.,
Sluis Tebbe A. R.,
Blok Bertil F. M.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
neurourology and urodynamics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.918
H-Index - 90
eISSN - 1520-6777
pISSN - 0733-2467
DOI - 10.1002/nau.23804
Subject(s) - medicine , cronbach's alpha , spinal cord injury , multiple sclerosis , sexual function , intraclass correlation , construct validity , physical therapy , urinary incontinence , pelvic floor , sexual dysfunction , human sexuality , spinal cord , gynecology , psychometrics , surgery , clinical psychology , psychiatry , gender studies , sociology
Aims The Multiple Sclerosis Intimacy and Sexuality Questionnaire (MSISQ‐15) evaluates symptoms of sexual dysfunction in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). The objective of this study was to provide and validate a Dutch version of the MSISQ‐15 in patients with neurological disease such as MS and spinal cord injury (SCI). Methods The linguistic validation process of the original English MSISQ‐15 into Dutch was performed according to standardized guidelines. Sexually active patients with MS or spinal cord disorders, including SCI and cauda equine syndrome, who visited a tertiary urology center or a rehabilitation center completed the MSISQ‐15, Pelvic Organ Prolapse/Urinary Incontinence Sexual Questionnaire (PISQ‐12) in women, or International Index of Erection Function (IIEF‐15) in men at baseline (test) and 2 weeks later (retest). A reference group recruited from a general medical practice completed the questionnaires once. Data were analyzed for measurement properties. Results Fifty‐three patients with MS, 49 patients with spinal cord disorder, and 50 references were included. Content validity was adequate. Internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha >0.8) and reproducibility (intraclass correlation coefficient >0.8) of the MSISQ‐15 were excellent. Patients’ MSISQ‐15 scores were correlated with severity of symptoms of sexual dysfunction measured by PISQ‐12 or IIEF‐15 and confirmed positive rating for criterion validity. MSISQ‐15 scores in patients were higher than in references (on a scale of 15‐75: 38.9 ± 11.4 vs 21.1 ± 5.4; P < 0.001), indicating good construct validity. Conclusions The Dutch MSISQ‐15 is a reliable and valid measure to evaluate symptoms of sexual dysfunction in patients with MS or with SCI.