[Sexual dysfunction and depression: Validity of a French version of the ASEX scale]

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Clinical Psychology
• Medical Sociology

Background:

• Sexual dysfunction is highly prevalent in patients with depression, significantly impacting their quality of life.
• Antidepressant medications and depression itself can negatively affect sexual function.
• Screening for sexual dysfunction is crucial, and the Arizona Sexual Experience Scale (ASEX) is a valuable tool.

Purpose of the Study:

• To validate the French translation of the Arizona Sexual Experience Scale (ASEX).
• To assess the reliability and validity of the French ASEX in a depressed patient population.

Main Methods:

• The ASEX scale was translated into French using a back-translation technique.
• 37 depressed inpatients and 64 controls completed the French ASEX, alongside other psychiatric assessments.
• Test-retest reliability, internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha), and diagnostic validity (sensitivity, specificity, predictive values, ROC analysis) were evaluated.

Main Results:

• The French ASEX demonstrated good test-retest reliability and excellent internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.9451).
• Analyses of variance confirmed significant differences between depressed patients and controls, supporting the scale's validity.
• The scale showed high specificity (95.31%) and positive predictive value (89.66%), with an optimal cutoff score of ≥18 for identifying sexual dysfunction.

Conclusions:

• The French version of the ASEX scale is a valid and reliable instrument for assessing sexual dysfunction in depressed individuals.
• The study confirms the excellent psychometric properties of the French ASEX, supporting its use in clinical practice and research.