Desire thinking as a predictor of compulsive sexual behaviour in adolescents: Evidence from a cross-cultural validation of the Hebrew version of the Desire Thinking Questionnaire

Desire thinking is a voluntary cognitive process that involves the perseverative focus on
memories, images and information related to a desired target. The aim of the present study was to
validate the Hebrew version of the Desire Thinking Questionnaire (DTQ; Caselli & Spada, 2011) in a
sample of adolescents and to investigate its relationship with measures of thought suppression,
impulsivity and individual-based compulsive sexual behaviour. Methods: In Study 1, a convenience
sample of 718 adolescents completed the newly translated Desire Thinking Questionnaire in Hebrew
(DTQ-H) and results were subjected to an Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA). In Study 2, a convenience
sample of 379 adolescents completed a battery of questionnaires including the DTQ-H. A Confirmatory
Factors Analysis was performed on the DTQ-H and validity was ascertained by correlating with other
measures. Results: In Study 1, a 9-item two-factor structure was identified. A 6-item two-factor structure
was confirmed in Study 2. Results also indicated that the DTQ-H has acceptable levels of reliability, and
good concurrent and incremental validity in predicting compulsive sexual behaviour. Conclusions: The
6-item DTQ-H appears to be a reliable and valid measure of desire thinking and may be used also on
adolescents – an understudied population.