The ESS-R: An Enjoyment of Sexualization Scale for Diverse Populations

We modified Liss and colleagues' Enjoyment of Sexualization Scale (ESS) to be suitable for samples that include individuals of varied gender identities and sexual orientations (ESS-R). In two undergraduate samples ( Ns = 294 and 527), we found that enjoyment of sexualization (ES) was distinct from but related to self-objectification (SO) in both men and women. As in previous research, men and women reported similar levels of ES, but women reported higher levels of self-objectification. The ESS-R yielded a single factor structure for both men and women, although multiple-groups confirmatory factor analysis suggested that only 4 of the 8 items were invariant across gender. SO, but not ES, was found to positively predict disordered eating attitudes, appearance anxiety, and desire to have a different body size. Finally, with regard to HEXACO personality, ES was associated with low Honesty-Humility and high eXtraversion, whereas SO was associated with high Emotionality and low Honesty-Humility, eXtraversion, Agreeableness, and Openness to Experience. Findings from the two studies indicate that (a) ES is relevant to both men and women, (b) ES and SO have distinct personality correlates, and (c) ES is associated with less damaging outcomes than SO.