The Brief Positive Sexual Aging Scale (BIPSAS), a new 4-item measure grounded in the successful aging paradigm, demonstrated psychometric soundness and was invariant across country and age but not gender in probability-based samples of partnered adults aged 65+ from Norway and Croatia.
Key Findings
Methods
The Brief Positive Sexual Aging Scale (BIPSAS) was developed as a 4-item measure of positive sexual aging grounded in the gerontological successful aging paradigm.
The measure was designed to assess positive sexual aging as a dynamic adaptive process rather than a static state.
The conceptual framework draws on the successful aging paradigm, which focuses on dynamic adaptive processes.
The scale was tested using two probability-based samples of partnered women and men aged 65+ years from Norway and Croatia (n = 727).
The measure assessed dimensionality, measurement invariance, associations with relevant constructs, and network-of-items topology.
Results
The BIPSAS demonstrated measurement invariance across country and age, but not across gender.
The scale was invariant across the two countries (Norway and Croatia) and across age groups within the 65+ population.
Gender-based measurement invariance was not supported, indicating that positive sexual aging scores in older women and men may not be directly comparable.
The authors note this as a caveat for comparative use of the measure across genders.
Combined sample size was n = 727 partnered adults aged 65+ years.
Results
Marked gender differences were found in the network-of-items topology of the BIPSAS.
The network structure of the four items differed meaningfully between women and men.
These differences suggest that the interrelationships among aspects of positive sexual aging are organized differently by gender.
This finding reinforces the non-invariance across gender in how the construct is structured.
Results
The 'opportunities for sexual expression' facet had the highest overall centrality in the BIPSAS network.
Network-of-items topology analysis identified 'opportunities for sexual expression' as the most central item in the BIPSAS network.
The authors interpret this as 'echoing its heightened importance for older people's sexuality.'
This finding suggests that access to and availability of sexual expression may be a particularly pivotal aspect of positive sexual aging.
Results
BIPSAS scores were significantly and meaningfully associated with multiple indicators of sexual, relational, and psychological well-being.
Significant associations were found with indicators of sexual communication and sexual activity.
The measure was also significantly related to relationship satisfaction and life satisfaction.
Associations with psychological health indicators were also significant and meaningful.
These associations support the construct validity of the BIPSAS.
Methods
The study used probability-based samples from two countries to develop and validate the BIPSAS.
Samples were drawn from Norway and Croatia, representing Northern and Southern European contexts.
Total combined sample size was n = 727 partnered women and men aged 65+ years.
Probability-based sampling was used to enhance representativeness of the older partnered adult population.
The bi-country design allowed for cross-national measurement invariance testing.
Conclusions
The BIPSAS is described as a psychometrically sound and brief measure suitable for use in health, well-being, and sexuality research among older partnered adults.
The measure consists of only 4 items, making it practical for use in wide-ranging studies.
The scale is deemed appropriate for studies focusing on health, well-being, and sexuality among older partnered adults.
The authors note it is suitable across countries and age groups within the 65+ range, with the caveat about gender comparability.
Psychometric testing included dimensionality assessment, measurement invariance, construct validity, and network analysis.
What This Means
This research suggests that a new 4-item questionnaire called the Brief Positive Sexual Aging Scale (BIPSAS) can reliably measure 'positive sexual aging' — the idea that sexuality in older age is not about maintaining youthful function, but about adapting and finding meaningful sexual expression as one ages. The scale was tested with nearly 730 partnered adults over age 65 in Norway and Croatia and performed consistently across both countries and across different ages within the older adult range. However, the way the scale items relate to each other differed between women and men, meaning direct comparisons of scores between genders should be made cautiously. The most central and influential component of positive sexual aging in the analysis was having opportunities for sexual expression, suggesting this may be especially important for older adults' sexual well-being.
The new scale was also meaningfully connected to broader measures of well-being: people who scored higher on positive sexual aging also tended to report better sexual communication with their partners, higher relationship satisfaction, greater life satisfaction, and better psychological health. This supports the idea that sexuality remains an important part of overall well-being well into older age. Because the scale is short (just 4 items) and was developed using a clear theoretical framework focused on adaptation rather than decline, it could be a useful tool for researchers studying aging, health, and quality of life in older populations around the world.
Štulhofer A, Fischer N, Hansen T, Graham C, Træen B. (2025). Positive Sexual Aging: A Novel Concept and Bi-Country Development of a Brief Measure.. Archives of sexual behavior. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-025-03158-7