2026

Sabina Nickull; Martin Lagerström; Patrick Jern; Annika Gunst

Sexual compliance (i.e., consenting to sexual activity despite the lack of initial desire for it) is common in committed relationships. Previous research has shown that sexual compliance can have both positive and negative consequences for the well-being of the individual and the relationship. The aim of the present study was to develop a scale to measure the perceived consequences of sexual compliance, using exploratory factor analysis. The scale items were developed based on previous research and administered to a Finnish population-based sample of adults (N = 1,159). A two-factor model, explaining 40% of the total variance, was selected to create the Consequences of Sexual Compliance Scale (CSCS). The final scale included two subscales, with 10 items measuring perceived positive consequences and 10 items measuring perceived negative consequences of sexual compliance. The individuals in the current sample perceived significantly more positive than negative consequences of sexual compliance, suggesting that engaging in sex without initial sexual desire does not harm well-being for most people. Our scale can be used by researchers and clinicians who wish to further explore the perceived consequences of sexual compliance.