PSYCHOMETRIC VALIDATION OF STANDARDIZED INSTRUMENTS ASSESSING FEMALE SEXUAL FUNCTION AND PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING AMONG REPRODUCTIVE-AGE WOMEN IN HARIDWAR, INDIA

Abstract

Reliable and valid measurement tools are essential for evaluating female sexual function and related psychological indices, particularly in culturally diverse contexts such as India. This study examined the psychometric properties of six standardized questionnaires - FSFI, DASS-21, WHOQOL-BREF, CSI-32, Body Self-Image Questionnaire (BSIQ-SF), and SESIFS-among reproductive-age women in Haridwar district. A total of 120 participants (mean age = 31.4 years; all married; middle socio-economic background) completed the instruments at baseline and again after two weeks. Reliability was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha and Intraclass Correlation Coefficients (ICC), while validity was examined through Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and Pearson correlations for preliminary evidence of construct-related validity. Results demonstrated strong internal consistency (α = 0.86 0.93), high test–retest reliability (ICC = 0.87–0.92), and preliminary evidence of construct-related validity across all measures. These findings provide preliminary evidence that the selected questionnaires demonstrate satisfactory psychometric properties in this population. The findings provide a methodological basis for their use in future research involving reproductive-age women in similar Indian community settings, while larger and more diverse samples are needed for broader generalization, offering robust tools to evaluate the impact of Integral Yoga Protocol interventions on female sexual health and psychological well-being. CFA indicated acceptable model fit across all instruments (CFI = 0.91–0.96, RMSEA = 0.038–0.052); given the sample size relative to the number of estimated parameters in the more complex multi-factor models, these findings should be regarded as preliminary evidence of construct validity pending replication in a larger sample.