Psychometric properties and validation of the sexual sensation seeking scale in Spanish adolescents: Brief screening method for use in research and clinical practice

•Sexual sensation seeking is associated with risky sexual behaviors in adolescence.•Physical Sensations Attraction and New Experiences Seeking measure this trait.•This brief assessment tool is useful in research and clinical practice.

Sexual sensation seeking among adolescents has been mostly associated with unprotected sex and other risky behaviors. This paper presents the Spanish adaptation and validation of the Sexual Sensation Seeking Scale (SSSS). This cross-sectional study included 1350 adolescents (601 male and 749 female), aged between 15 and 18 years (M = 16.1, SD = 0.97). Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) yielded two components: Physical Sensations Attraction (PSA), and New Experiences Seeking (NES), which together accounted for 48.98% of the total variance. That structure was later verified through Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). Internal consistency was 0.82 for the total scale, and 0.76 and 0.82 for each factor. Moreover, the measure had adequate convergent validity and was positively related to sexual compulsivity, number of sexual partners in the last six months, and consumption of alcohol and other drugs. In conclusion, this self-administered instrument is a useful brief screening measure in research and clinical practice for Spanish-speaking people.