Supporting the Transition to Parenthood Through Online Sex and Relationship Knowledge

Sexual Satisfaction

The Global Measure of Sexual Satisfaction Scale consists of five items assessing a subjective evaluation of the sexual relationship: good vs. bad, pleasant vs. unpleasant, positive vs. negative, satisfying vs. unsatisfying, and valuable vs. worthless (Lawrance \& Byers, 1995). Ratings are summed where possible scores range from 5 to 35, with higher scores indicating greater sexual satisfaction. This measure has demonstrated excellent psychometrics in previous studies (e.g., Paquette et al., 2025).

Sexual Distress

Sexual distress will be assessed with the 3-item Sexual Distress Scale-3 (Derogatis, 2008; Lin et al., 2024). Using a 5-point Likert scale, participants rate how frequently (e.g., 0 = never, to 4 = always) they experience a sexuality related problem. Ratings are summed such that possible scores range from 0 to 12, with higher scores indicating greater sexual distress. This measure has demonstrated good psychometrics in differentiated individuals who did and did not experience sexual problems (Lin et al., 2024).

Sexual Desire

Sexual desire will be measured using 7-items of partner-focused sexual desire from the Sexual Desire Inventory (Moyano et al., 2017). Participants rate their interest in sexual activity using a Likert-type response scale from 0 (e.g., not at all) to 7 or 8 (e.g., a lot). Ratings are summed (range = 0 to 54) such that higher scores indicate greater sexual desire for one's partner. This measure has demonstrated good psychometrics (Moyano et al., 2017).

Depressive Symptoms

The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS; Cox, 1987) is a widely used 10-item measure designed to screen for perinatal depression in pregnancy and in parents with infants. The EPDS asks individuals to answer how they have been feeling in the previous 7 days using a response scale from 0 (e.g., Not at all) to 3 (e.g., As much as I ever did), with questions involving common indicators of depression. A total sum score is computed (range = 0 to 30) where higher scores indicate more depressive symptoms. This measure has good psychometric properties (e.g., Kernot et al., 2014) and high sensitivity for detecting postnatal depression (e.g., Eberhard-Gran et al., 2001).

Anxiety Symptoms

Anxiety symptoms will be measured using the 7-item GAD-7 (Spitzer et al., 2006), which assesses symptoms of generalized anxiety. Participants rate the frequency of experiencing anxiety symptoms on a Likert scale from 0 (Not at all) to 3 (Nearly every day). A total sum score is computed (range = 0 to 21) with higher scores indicating greater anxiety symptoms. This measure has good psychometric properties (Spitzer et al., 2006).

Relationship Satisfaction

Relationship satisfaction will be measured with the 4-item version of the Couples Satisfaction Index (CSI) developed by Funk and Rogge (Funk, 2007). Participants rate their general relationship satisfaction, including how happy they are with their relationship, how frequently they disagree with their partner, and how they feel their relationship compares to others, using a 6- or 7-point Likert scale from 0 (e.g., Not at all true) to 5 or 6 (e.g., completely true). A total sum score is computed (range = 0 to 21) where higher scores indicate greater relationship satisfaction. The 4-item version has good psychometric properties and a cut-off for high relationship distress (Funk \& Rogge, 2007).

Relationship Conflict

Relationship conflict will be measured using 2 items assessing conflict in the relationship from the Revised Dyadic Adjustment Scale (Busby, 1995). These items ask participants to report how often they argue with their partner or how often they get on each others' nerves. To measure sexual conflict, the same two items were adapted to ask specifically about sex. Participants respond using a Likert scale from 0 ("All the time) to 5 ("Never"). A total sum score is computed for each of relationship and sexual conflict (range = 0 to 10) where higher scores indicate less conflict.