Evaluating Item Discrimination and Gender-Based Differential Item Functioning in Safe Sex Behavior Questionnaire (SSBQ)

Evaluating Item Discrimination and Gender-Based Differential Item Functioning in Safe Sex Behavior Questionnaire (SSBQ)

Alvin Sherman Library

Risky sexual behavior can increase rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), posing a danger to the health of young adults. The Safe Sex Behavior Questionnaire (SSBQ; Dilorio et al., 1992) is a widely used measure to assess risky sexual behaviors among young adults. However, few studies have evaluated the psychometric properties of the SSBQ, such as how well the survey items discriminate between individuals who engage in safer versus riskier sexual behaviors (discrimination), and whether the items function equivalently for men versus women (differential item functioning). In the current study, we applied psychometric modeling to a dataset of 1,094 young adults aged 18-25 (537 cisgender men and 557 cisgender women). We used an item response theory (IRT) model to evaluate the discrimination of SSBQ items (rated on a 5-point Likert scale) and identify whether the items have differential item functioning between men and women. Results showed that, our of 23 SSBQ items, 5 items displayed low discrimination (α<0.3), and 20 items displayed differential item functioning between men and women (p < .05). Based on the results, some SSBQ items could not differentiate the sexual risk of young adults effectively, and we found significant differences in response patterns between men and women. Therefore, it is essential to introduce modifications to the measure so that it can assess risky sexual behaviors among young adults more accurately.