The Derogatis Interview for Sexual Functioning (DISF/DISF-SR): an introductory report

The current report describes a program of research designed to demonstrate the psychometric characteristics and validity of the Derogatis Interview for Sexual Functioning (DISF/DISF-SR), a set of brief, gender-keyed, multidimensional outcome measures designed to measure quality of sexual functioning. The primary goals of the development of the DISF/DISF-SR are outlined within the context of the principal measurement parameters involved in human sexual functioning. The development and rationale for both interview (DISF) and matching self-report (DISF-SR) versions of the instrument are presented, as is the rationale for developing distinct male and female forms. The studies described evaluate the reliabilities of both modalities of the DISF/DISF-SR and demonstrate confirmation for the hypothesized internal structure of the test. Research is provided that demonstrates dimensional uniqueness in subtest-total score relationships, and several studies are reviewed that show high discriminative validity for the DISF/DISF-SR in medical and community cohorts. The initial norms for the DISF/DISF-SR are also reviewed and described.