Self-​Assessment of 

Sexual Orientation

I. Sexual Attractions
The following six questions are asked to assess how frequently and intensely you are sex-
ually attracted to men and women. Consider times you had sexual fantasies, daydreams,
or dreams about a man or woman, or have been sexually aroused by a man or woman.

During the past year, how many

1.  During the past year, how many
4. 
different men were you sexually different women were you sexually
attracted to? (select one answer) attracted to? (select one answer)
  a. None   a. None
  b. 1   b. 1
  c. 2   c. 2
  d.  3–​5   d.  3–​5
  e.  6–​10   e.  6–​10
  f.  11–​49   f.  11–​49
  g.  50–​99   g.  50–​99
  h.  100 or more   h.  100 or more

During the past year, on average,

2.  During the past year, on average, how
5. 
how often were you sexually often were you sexually attracted to a
attracted to a man? (select one woman? (select one answer)
answer)   a. Never
  a. Never   b.  Less than one time per month
  b.  Less than one time per month   c.  1–​3 times per month
  c.  1–​3 times per month   d.  1 time per week
  d.  1 time per week   e.  2–​3 times per week
  e.  2–​3 times per week   f.  4–​6 times per week
  f.  4–​6 times per week   g. Daily
  g. Daily

During the past year, the most

3. 
6. 
I was sexually attracted to a man
was . . . (select one answer)
  a. Not at all sexually attracted  
  b. Slightly sexually attracted  
  c. Mildly sexually attracted  
  d. Moderately sexually attracted  
  e. Significantly sexually attracted  
  f. Very sexually attracted  
  g. Extremely sexually attracted  
During the past year, the most I was
sexually attracted to a woman was . . .
(select one answer)
a.  Not at all sexually attracted
b.  Slightly sexually attracted
c.  Mildly sexually attracted
d.  Moderately sexually attracted
e.  Significantly sexually attracted
f.  Very sexually attracted
g.  Extremely sexually attracted

Monnica T. Williams, Chad T. Wetterneck

Sexual Obsessions in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.
© 2019 by Oxford University Press

Oxford Clinical Psychology | Oxford University Press

  

II. Sexual Contact
The following four questions are asked to assess your sexual contacts. Consider times
when you had contact between your body and another man or woman’s body for the
purpose of sexual arousal or gratification.

During the past year, how many

1.  During the past year, how many dif-
3. 
different men did you have sexual ferent women did you have sexual
contact with? (select one answer) contact with? (select one answer)
  a. None   a. None
  b. 1   b. 1
  c. 2   c. 2
  d.  3–​5   d.  3–​5
  e.  6–​10   e.  6–​10
  f.  11–​49   f.  11–​49
  g.  50–​99   g.  50–​99
  h.  100 or more   h.  100 or more

During the past year, on average,

2.  During the past year, on average, how
4. 
how often did you have sexual con- often did you have sexual contact
tact with a man? (select one answer) with a woman? (select one answer)
  a. Never   a. Never
  b.  Less than one time per month   b.  Less than one time per month
  c.  1–​3 times per month   c.  1–​3 times per month
  d.  1 time per week   d.  1 time per week
  e.  2–​3 times per week   e.  2–​3 times per week
  f.  4–​6 times per week   f.  4–​6 times per week
  g. Daily   g. Daily

Monnica T. Williams, Chad T. Wetterneck

Sexual Obsessions in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.
© 2019 by Oxford University Press

Oxford Clinical Psychology | Oxford University Press



III. Sexual Identity
The following two questions are asked to assess your sexual identity.

I consider myself . . . (select one

1a.  I consider myself . . . (select one
2a. 
answer) answer)
  a.  Not at all LGBTQ   a.  Not at all heterosexual
  b.  Slightly LGBTQ   b.  Slightly heterosexual
  c.  Mildly LGBTQ   c.  Mildly heterosexual
  d.  Moderately LGBTQ   d.  Moderately heterosexual
  e.  Significantly LGBTQ   e.  Significantly heterosexual
  f.  Very LGBTQ   f.  Very heterosexual
  g.  Extremely LGBTQ   g.  Extremely heterosexual

1b. I consider myself . . . (select one
answer)
  a. Not at all attracted to someone of
the same sex
  b. Slightly attracted to someone of
the same sex
  c. Mildly attracted to someone of
the same sex
  d. Moderately attracted to someone
of the same sex
  e. Significantly attracted to someone
of the same sex
  f. Very attracted to someone of the
same sex
  g. Extremely attracted to someone
of the same sex
2b. I consider myself . . . (select one
answer)
  a. Not at all attracted to someone of
the other sex
  b. Slightly attracted to someone of
the other sex
  c. Mildly attracted to someone of the
other sex
  d. Moderately attracted to someone
of the other sex
  e. Significantly attracted to someone
of the other sex
  f. Very attracted to someone of the
other sex
  g. Extremely attracted to someone of
the other sex

Citation: Sell, R. L. (1996). The Sell Assessment of Sexual Orientation: Background and

scoring. Journal of Gay, Lesbian, & Bisexual Identity, 1(4), 295–​310.
 

Monnica T. Williams, Chad T. Wetterneck

Sexual Obsessions in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.
© 2019 by Oxford University Press

Oxford Clinical Psychology | Oxford University Press