An Examination of the Psychometric Properties of the Paraphilic Interests and Disorders Scale

The Paraphilic Interests and Disorders Scale (PIDS) is a self-report measure of DSM-5-TR paraphilic interests and disorders. This study further examined the psychometric properties of the PIDS. In Study 1, using a sample of 2,292 adults in the U.S., we examined comorbidity between paraphilic interests to explore internal consistency, which showed those who reported an interest in one paraphilic interest were significantly more likely to report another paraphilic interest. Convergent validity was assessed by comparing PIDS to another measure (Paraphilia Scale), which showed support for convergent validity for the PIDS interests, as well as most behavioral items. In Study 2, a sample of 91 undergraduate students completed the PIDS at two time points. There was at least substantial test-retest reliability for the interest items except sexual sadism. These findings provide psychometric support for the PIDS which may serve as a useful tool for population-based data on paraphilic interests and disorders.