Validation of the Sexual Self-Determination Competency Assessment Scale

Background: This study aims to refine and validate the Sexual Self-Determination Competency Assessment Scale (2020) to enhance its effectiveness.Methods: The scale comprises self-reported and scenario-based sections. We revised item phrasing; expanded content to better address sexual crimes involving children, adolescents, and individuals with intellectual disabilities; and adjusted the scoring method for better comprehension by individuals with intellectual disabilities. The revised scale was administered to 500 middle and high school students aged 14∼18 to assess reliability and validity. Additionally, we replaced Likert-scale items with open-ended questions to minimize response bias in the scenario-based section. Interviews were conducted with 17 adolescents and individuals with intellectual limitations.Results: The self-report section demonstrated content validity through an expert review of item appropriateness. Construct and criterion validities were confirmed through statistical analyses. The internal consistency was also high. In the scenario-based section, four open-ended questions were finalized based on interview data, and five scoring criteria were developed to evaluate responses.Conclusions: This study improved the format and content of the existing scale, thereby enhancing its applicability in investigative and practical contexts. Notably, modifying scenario-based items to an open-ended format enables a qualitative assessment of perception, judgment, and coping abilities in sexual offense scenarios, representing a significant contribution to the field.