Understanding and Measuring Sexual Well-being

Developing and Validating a Multi-Dimensional Scale of Sexual Health

NIH-funded research University of Pennsylvania · NIH-11193294

This project aims to create a new way to understand and measure sexual well-being, which is an important part of your overall health and happiness.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionUniversity of Pennsylvania NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Philadelphia, United States)
Project IDNIH-11193294 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

We know that sexual well-being is a key part of a healthy life, but it's often overlooked and hard to measure accurately. Current tools don't fully capture all the positive aspects of sexuality, focusing more on problems rather than strengths. Our team is working to build a comprehensive model and a detailed questionnaire that includes positive feelings, healthy relationships, and self-acceptance related to sexuality. This will help us better understand what contributes to sexual well-being and how to support it.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: This project is looking for adults aged 21 and older who are interested in contributing their experiences to help create a new understanding of sexual health.

Not a fit: Patients seeking direct medical treatment or immediate interventions for specific sexual health conditions may not directly benefit from this foundational research.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to better ways for healthcare providers to talk about and address sexual health, and help develop programs that improve people's sexual well-being.

How similar studies have performed: While existing scales address some aspects of sexual health, this project is novel in its comprehensive, strength-based approach to measuring overall sexual well-being.

Where this research is happening

Philadelphia, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.