Sexual Compatibility and Intimacy Test - Frequently asked questions Sexual Compatibility and Intimacy Test - Frequently asked questions Sexual Compatibility and Intimacy Test - Frequently asked questions

FAQ

The answers you provided to the SCIT are stored in a database on a secure server. Your identity is not known to our staff, and therefore your data can never be associated with you.

Your data is unavailable to anyone other than you and our staff psychologist who will monitor the security of the database and periodically perform statistical analyses with all of the data collected. Your information will not be sold or shared with anyone. Your identity is not known to Prosocial Science (unless you have used your name in your email address) and therefore your data can never be associated with you. We recommend that you use an email address that preserves your anonymity (for example, do not use something like Jane.Doe1962@LondonHilton.com).

Your scores are statistically compared to all other people of your gender who have completed the SCIT. It is unlikely that this group is a representative sample of the general population in your country. As the number of test takers increase, scores presented to you may reflect a more accurate sample of test takers in your country and age group. For the time being, it is most prudent to consider the results to be for entertainment value. Remember that the value of the SCIT does not reset entirely with the scores. It is a vehicle you can use for several other very worthwhile purposes (see “Should I share my results with my therapist or doctor?”).

A percentile score is a number that represents how many people within the comparison sample scored higher or lower than yours. Among a large group of respondents, your score is ranked with those of other people of your gender who have completed the SCIT. If your percentile score is 63 for example, your score is higher than approximately 63 percent of the other test takers. Conversely, it also means that approximately 37 percent of the test takers had scores higher than yours.

Your intimacy and sexual interests may change over time for many reasons: changes in your physical and mental health (for example, depression, cardiac concerns, hormones, injuries, medication effects) may occur. This may be useful information for you and your doctor. It is also possible that your views have changed as a result of exposure to new ideas, new relationships, or new experiences. Completing the SCIT once every three months can provide very important information for you and your therapist or counselor. It may be particularly useful when you are undergoing marriage counselling for example, as sex and intimacy issues are the most common relationship difficulties.  Completing the SCIT more frequently may not reflect change very well.

Absolutely. There are male and female versions of the SCIT. You can send your partner an invitation to complete the SCIT from our website.

Do not share your SCIT results with anyone if you were not entirely truthful when you took the test. If you are able to communicate openly with a partner you trust, and if you and/or that person might benefit from the information, then it could be a very good idea to share your results – particularly if they are willing to share the results of their SCIT at the same time.

There are pros and cons to sharing your results with your partner. On the one hand, you may discover that you have common interests that you didn’t dare talk about before. This might have wonderful consequences for your relationship and your sex life. On the other hand, you may discover that your interests do not match at all, and this might cause one or both of you to be very disappointed (in which case one or both of you may not wish to continue your relationship). Be very careful making your decision; only YOU can decide what you wish to do. Prosocial Science cannot accept any responsibility for the potentially negative consequences of your decision.

Your doctor, therapist, or counselor may not know about what information the SCIT contains. If that person feels that the information is important for them to know and you agree, then go ahead and share the report. For example, the information would be very useful in the context of marital counselling (particularly if your partner has also taken the SCIT).

The SCIT is very useful when you or your consultant want to know about changes in your interests. Changes in your results may reflect treatment gains made in counselling or medical treatment.

Some clients feel that comparing their SCIT results with a potential partner is very important. If you do that and discuss the similarities and differences, this may be one source of information to help you decide whether you want to pursue the relationship. Keep in mind that sexual compatibility is not the only important ingredient for a happy relationship and should not be the only criterion you consider.

It is imperative that both of you have been truthful when you have completed the SCIT. DO NOT misrepresent your feelings and choices, and try to ensure the same is true of your potential partner.

Never share your SCIT results if you were not truthful when you completed the test. Never share your results with someone you do not trust. Do share your results when you think that you or your partner might benefit from the information, and you are confident that they care about you and are trustworthy. Only YOU can decide if you wish to share – and when.

Presumably, there will be some benefit from sharing your results with someone who is trustworthy and if one or both of you might benefit from the information. Discuss the idea of sharing this information with them to see what their attitude toward it might be. If they will not agree to share their results with you too, then it may not be wise to give them yours.

Definitely. While it’s possible that your interests will never change, it’s most likely that they will. Stress, relationship difficulties, medical conditions, mental health, medication, age, trauma, experimentation and exposure to new ideas or information may all influence change. Your happiness is important – understanding what is happening for you is vital.

Yes. As the sample size increases, we will be able to compare your results with other people in your country and your age group.

The SCIT is intended to compare the level of intimacy and the sexual interests of those people who were biologically determined to be male or female at birth, which of course encompasses the whole population. You were one or the other. Your "gender identity" may be different of course;  the information that the SCIT gives you will still reflect your interests, but they will be compared to the responses of others of your sex. The results will continue to be very useful to your doctor or therapist under some conditions, and will continue to be very meaningful if you compared your results with those of your partner, whether your partner has the same gender identity as you or not.  We are all people, and what is important is how compatible we are with our chosen ones, and how intimate our relationships can be.  For consistency, meaningful statistics, and socially relevant studies that we can share, please complete the version of the SCIT intended for those of your biological sex.

If you have questions, comments, or suggestions about how we can assess your interests or the dimensions of your gender identity more effectively, please do get in touch with us.  Your honest contributions will go far in serving the greater good for all of us, regardless of our gender identities.

We will be adding a discussion forum soon, and we will continue to expand our resource pages, so check back often!

The SCIT is currently set up for those whose choice in partner is generally someone of the opposite sex.  The SCIT is a relatively new test that does not yet have a sufficient sample size to be as meaningful as it can be.  Those who identify as gay are not as numerous as those who identify as heterosexual, and we are unlikely to have a sample size of the gay community that is big enough for meaningful analysis in the near future, so our main objective is to concentrate on that segment of our population who have partners of the opposite sex.  This being said, a version of the SCIT for those who are not heterosexual is in development, and if we are successful in obtaining the sample size we are aiming for, this will certainly be an addition.