About the Sexual Quality of Life – Male (SQoL-M)
The Sexual Quality of Life – Male (SQoL-M) is a validated patient-reported outcome measure specifically designed to assess the impact of sexual dysfunctions on men's quality of life. Unlike functional measures that assess specific sexual abilities, the SQoL-M focuses on the emotional, psychological, and interpersonal impact of sexual problems. The questionnaire has demonstrated excellent psychometric properties, including high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha ≥ 0.92), good test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficients of 0.77-0.79), and strong convergent validity with other sexual function measures. The SQoL-M is responsive to treatment-related changes and has been validated across multiple languages and cultures. It is widely used in clinical practice, research studies, and pharmaceutical trials to assess the quality of life impact of sexual dysfunctions and monitor treatment outcomes.
Medical Specialties
Clinical Indications
Developer Information
The Sexual Quality of Life – Male (SQoL-M) was developed by Abraham L, Symonds T, and Morris MF, with validation studies published in 2008. The questionnaire was developed to address the need for a validated patient-reported outcome measure specifically assessing the quality of life impact of sexual dysfunctions in men, as existing measures focused primarily on functional aspects rather than quality of life impact.
Copyright & Licensing
The SQoL-M is a proprietary instrument. Copyright and licensing information should be verified with the developers or publishers. The SQoL-M is widely used in clinical practice and research, and validated translations are available in multiple languages. Use in commercial applications may require permission or licensing.
Administration Instructions
Read each statement about your sexual life and rate how much you agree or disagree using the six categories provided. Statements may be positive or negative. Choose the first answer that comes to mind. All answers are confidential.
Scoring Methodology
The SQoL-M consists of 11 items, each scored on a 6-point Likert scale from 1 to 6. All questions are negative statements about sexual life. Response options are: Completely agree (1 = worst), Moderately agree (2), Slightly agree (3), Slightly disagree (4), Moderately disagree (5), Completely disagree (6 = best). Since all statements are negative, disagreeing with them indicates better quality of life and results in higher scores. The Raw Score is the sum of all 11 items, ranging from 11-66. All 11 questions must be answered to calculate the total score. Higher scores indicate better sexual quality of life. For easier comparison with other measures, the raw score can be transformed into a standardized scale (0-100) using the formula: Standardized Score = ((Raw Score - 11) / 55) × 100. Raw Score interpretation: 11-22 (poor), 23-33 (moderate), 34+ (good). Standardized Score interpretation: 0-51 (poor), 52-84 (moderate), 85-100 (good).
Meaningful Change Threshold
A change of 5-8 points in the SQoL-M Total Score is considered clinically meaningful. The minimal clinically important difference (MCID) has been established at approximately 5-6 points. Changes of 3-4 points may represent small but potentially meaningful improvements, while changes of 9+ points represent substantial improvements in sexual quality of life. The SQoL-M is responsive to treatment-related changes, making it valuable for monitoring treatment outcomes in both clinical practice and research settings.
Score Interpretation
Understanding what your score means
very poor
11 - 22Very poor sexual quality of life - Patient experiences severe negative impact of sexual problems on quality of life, with high levels of emotional distress, low confidence, and significant impact on self-perception and relationships.
poor
23 - 33Poor sexual quality of life - Patient experiences substantial negative impact of sexual problems on quality of life, with notable emotional distress and reduced confidence.
moderate
34 - 44Moderate sexual quality of life - Patient experiences moderate impact of sexual problems on quality of life, with some emotional distress and reduced confidence, but maintaining some positive aspects.
good
45 - 55Good sexual quality of life - Patient experiences relatively good quality of life despite sexual problems, with manageable emotional impact and reasonable confidence.
very good
56 - 66Very good sexual quality of life - Patient experiences minimal negative impact of sexual problems on quality of life, with high confidence, positive self-perception, and minimal emotional distress.
Subscales
This questionnaire measures multiple dimensions
Clinical Limitations & Considerations
The SQoL-M focuses on the quality of life impact of sexual problems rather than functional aspects of sexual performance. It requires patients to have experienced sexual problems, which may limit its applicability to certain patient populations. Cultural and language differences may affect interpretation, and validated translations should be used for non-English speaking populations. The SQoL-M should be used as part of a comprehensive clinical assessment rather than as the sole basis for diagnosis or treatment decisions. The questionnaire assesses subjective experiences and may be influenced by factors such as relationship quality, partner support, and individual coping strategies.
Related Outcome Measures
Other clinical questionnaires for similar specialties and conditions
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Patient's Global Impression of Improvement (PGI-I)
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This questionnaire is provided free of charge. Patient Watch charges only for platform services (data storage, automated reminders, analytics) - not for use of clinical instruments. This non-commercial model supports academic and clinical use. View full licensing disclosure