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The Multiple Sclerosis Intimacy and Sexuality Questionnaire (MSISQ-15): Validation and Cross-cultural Adaptation of the Greek Version in MS Patients

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Abstract

Sexuality and intimate relationships are a significant part of life and well-being. The presence of a physical illness such as multiple sclerosis (MS) has the potential to complicate the lifelong course of sexual development and the ways in which one defines and expresses one’s sexuality. The objective of this study was to develop a cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the MSISQ-15 so that it can be used as a tool to evaluate SD in Greek patients with MS. A total of 127 individuals, 68 Greek MS patients and 59 healthy persons for the control group who visited urology department of the National Rehabilitation Centre of Athens completed the Greek version of MSISQ-15 along with Female Sexual Function Index for women and International Index of Erection Function at baseline (test) and 3 weeks later for the MS patients, (retest). Data were analyzed for measurement properties. Content validity was adequate. The Greek version of MSISQ-15 showed a good internal consistency with Cronbach’s a > 70 for total score and the three scales of MSISQ-15 for the test and retest. In the MS patient group, no floor or ceiling effects were seen for the total score, primary, secondary and tertiary symptoms. A test–retest reliability shows that for primary symptoms and measurements 3 weeks after, correlation was r = .94, for secondary was r = .88, while for tertiary was r = .89. All correlations were significant at p < .001. In conclusion, this Greek version of MSISQ-15 was tested following well-established guidelines on measurement properties and showed good validity and reliability. It is reproducible, reliable and valid for the Greek population and may be used as a tool for assessing the impact of sexual dysfunction in patients with MS.

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Acknowledgements

Thanks to Dr FW Foley for giving permission to translate and validate the MSISQ-15 in Greek.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Panteion University of Social and Political Sciences, Athens, Greece

    M. Tzitzika, C. C. Daoultzis & P. Kordoutis

  2. Urology and Neuro-urology Unit, National Rehabilitation Center, Ilion, Athens, Greece

    M. Tzitzika & C. Konstantinidis

Authors
  1. M. Tzitzika
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  2. C. C. Daoultzis
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  3. C. Konstantinidis
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  4. P. Kordoutis
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Correspondence to M. Tzitzika.

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Appendix

Appendix

Ερωτηματολόγιο Oικειότητας και Σεξουαλικότητας στη Πολλαπλή Σκλήρυνση

Οδηγίες: Στο ερωτηματολόγιο αυτό καλείστε να απαντήσετε σε 15 ερωτήσεις που στόχο έχουν την καλύτερη κατανόηση της επίδρασης της Πολλαπλής Σκλήρυνσης στην Οικειότητα και τη σεξουαλικότητα βαθμολογώντας διάφορα συμπτώματα που μπορεί να έχουν εμφανιστεί σχετικά με τη σεξουαλική σας λειτουργία και ικανοποίηση σας τους τελευταίους 6 μήνες.

Οι απαντήσεις σας δίδονται με το να σημειώσετε το κατάλληλο πεδίο δίπλα στην κάθε ερώτηση.

Δεν υπάρχουν σωστές ή λάθος απαντήσεις. Εάν δεν είστε σίγουρος/η για κάποια απάντηση διαλέξτε το πεδίο που βρίσκεται πιο κοντά σε αυτό που νιώσατε.

Στο διάστημα των τελευταίων 6 μηνών τα παρακάτω συμπτώματα διαφοροποίησαν την σεξουαλική μου λειτουργία ή ικανοποίηση:

Ποτέ 1

Σπάνια 2

Συχνά 3

Σχεδόν πάντα 4

Πάντα 5

1. Ακαμψία μυών ή Σπαστικότητα στα χέρια, πόδια ή αλλού στο σώμα

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2. Ουρολογικά συμπτώματα.

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3. Συμπτώματα από το έντερο.

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4. Τρέμουλο στα χέρια ή στο σώμα

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5. Πόνος, Κάψιμο ή δυσφορία στο σώμα.

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6. Αίσθημα πως το σώμα μου δεν είναι πια ελκυστικό

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7. Αίσθημα χαμηλής αρρενοπωτητας ή θηλυκότητας λόγω της ΠΣ

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8. Μειωμένη αίσθηση ή μούδιασμα στην περιοχή των γεννητικών οργάνων.

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9. Φόβος απόρριψης εξαιτίας της ΠΣ.

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10. Ανησυχία σχετικά με την ικανοποίησης του/της συντρόφου.

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11. Αίσθημα μειωμένης σιγουριάς σχετικά με τη σεξουαλικότητα μου εξαιτίας της ΠΣ.

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12. Έλλειψη σεξουαλικού ενδιαφέροντος ή επιθυμίας/

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13. Λιγότερο έντονοι ή ικανοποιητικοί οργασμοί ή κορυφώσεις.

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14. Καθυστέρηση στην επίτευξη κορύφωσης ή οργασμού.

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15. Μη ικανοποιητική ύγρανση του κόλπου (γυναίκες)/αδυναμία διατήρησης στύσης (άνδρες).

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Tzitzika, M., Daoultzis, C.C., Konstantinidis, C. et al. The Multiple Sclerosis Intimacy and Sexuality Questionnaire (MSISQ-15): Validation and Cross-cultural Adaptation of the Greek Version in MS Patients. Sex Disabil 39, 495–506 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11195-020-09635-2

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