Sexual Modes Questionnaire (SMQ): Spanish translation, adaptation, and preliminary evidence of psycho‑metric properties in a Colombian sample
Abstract
This study aimed to translate, adapt, and evaluate the preliminary psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the Sexual Modes Questionnaire (SMQ; Nobre & Pinto-Gouveia, 2003), focusing on negative automatic thoughts during sexual activity. A total of 521 Colombian participants were recruited through psychology students, and social media posts. The final sample consisted of 338 heterosexual cisgender adults (149 men, 189 women) aged 18–40 years (M = 25.76, SD = 4.9). The validity of the internal structure was explored through Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), internal consistency and reliability were assessed using Cronbach’s alpha (α), McDonald’s omega (ω), and item-test correlation. Convergent validity was evaluated by correlating the scale with state and trait affect and subjective sexual functioning. Results provide preliminary evidence of good internal consistency, reliability, and convergent validity for both male and female versions of the SMQ. This adaptation is the first to validate the SMQ in a Spanish-speaking sample, expanding cross-cultural evidence on cognitive-affective mechanisms underlying sexual dysfunction. Findings underscore its potential utility in research and clinical practice for assessing automatic thoughts during sexual activity in Latin American contexts
Milena Vásquez-Amézquita
Associate Professor / PhD supervision 2015-2018 / Postdoc supervision 2021-2022
Associate Professor, Researcher in Neuroscience at Universidad El Bosque. Interested in the cognitive mechanisms that underlie mood disorders and sexual behaviour.
Valentina Cepeda
Research Assistant since 2025
Research assistant at EvoCo: Human Behaviour and Evolution Lab since 2025.
Juan David Leongómez
Associate Professor
My research interests include mate choice and human vocal communication, with an aspiration towards understanding musicality. I am also interested in bioacoustics and psychoacoustics, as well as statistics and programming.