[Design and validation of the second edition of the Women's Sexual Function Questionnaire, FSM-2]

To design and validate the second edition of the Female Sexual Function questionnaire (FSF-2).

A cross-sectional and multicentre study was conducted on 187 women (18-70 years) who completed a test (preliminary questionnaire FSF-2), and then answered a structured anamnesis on female sexual function. Four weeks later they completed a retest, which was equal to the test but with an additional question about possible influence of recent events in their sex life.

The mean age of the women was 43.51 years. Internal consistency of the questionnaire: Cronbach's α of the 0.919 test, of structured anamnesis 0.921, of the 0.920 retest. Test-retest reliability: mean test scores 30.53 ± 8.605, retest 30.05 ± 8.770, without significant differences. Correlation between total test and retest scores (intraclass correlation coefficient) 0.960, significant (P<.01); between total test scores and structured anamnesis 0.977, significant (P<.01). Concordance between test questions and structured anamnesis (kappa index), minimum 0.706, maximum 0.915; between test and retest questions, minimum 0.630, maximum 0.802. Content validity by expert consensus. Criteria validity: specificity of the questionnaire exceeding 90% for all items/domains, sensitivity greater than 80%, except for items 5, 6, 9 (70-80%). Validity of the construct through factor analysis, grouping of items into 2 components (they explain 66.586% of variance).

The FSF-2 questionnaire is reliable and valid. It evaluates the sexual response of women, describing important aspects of their sexual activity as a couple: anticipatory anxiety, initiative, confidence to communicate, preferences and events that may influence. It can detect sexual dysfunction in the couple.