It′s neat and tidy, all tucked up there out of sight: The development of a female genitals perception scale.
Ellis, Shannon1, XBrochu, Paula*,1, Warkentin, Pat2, Buchanan, Marilyn2, 1 University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada2 Red Deer College, Red Deer, AB, Canada
ABSTRACT- The purpose of this study was to investigate women′s perceptions of their genitalia in order to develop a representative instrument measuring this construct. Seventeen women, aged 18 to 64 years, participated in five focus groups (2 to 5 members per group). Participants first completed a questionnaire regarding body image satisfaction, drive for thinness, depression, anxiety, and stress. Results from the survey indicate a diverse and representative sample of women who report levels of body image satisfaction above the scale mid-point and levels of desire for thinness, depression, anxiety, and stress substantially below the scale mid-points. Findings of the semi-structured focus groups reveal that the participants believe the existing Female Genital Image Scale (FGIS; Morrison, Ellis, Bearden, Harriman, & Morrison, 2004) is too visually oriented and anatomically complex, such that many participants were unable to accurately answer several scale items. Further, thematic analysis of the focus group transcripts suggest that these women are highly sensitive to the smell and feel of their genitalia, usually perceive their genitalia in some situational context, and prefer evaluating their genitalia using frequency of occurrence (1 = always to 5 = never) rather than level of satisfaction (1 = very dissatisfied to 5 = very satisfied). The focus groups were valuable in creating a Female Genitals Perception Scale that demonstrates high levels of content validity. Sample scale items include ′′I (would) worry about the smell of my genitals while I am menstruating′′ and ′′I (would) worry about the tightness of my vagina during intercourse′′. This primarily qualitative study highlights the importance of consultation with the target population in scale development, as many sexuality scales, including the FGIS, are developed in isolation from the intended audience. Limitations of the study and implications for future research are outlined.
Key words: women's genitalia, female genital perceptions, scale development, focus groups, qualitative