Impacts of social desirability response bias on sexuality care of cancer patients among Chinese nurses

The purpose of this study was to detect social desirable response bias on Chinese nurses’ attitudes and beliefs toward sexuality care of cancer patients. A cross-sectional self-reported questionnaire based survey was used. Measures included a 12-item Inventory of Sexuality Attitude and Belief Survey (SABS) and a 10-item Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale. Total social desirability scores were significantly correlated with four individual items of the SABS, and significantly predicted the total SABS scores (β = −0.155, p = 0.028). Before controlling social desirability variable, nurses’ age, marital status, years of working experience, and working units were significantly correlated with total SABS scores. After controlling social desirability variable, only nurses’ age and working units were statistically significant predictors of SABS. Social desirable response bias had impacts on Chinese nurses’ attitudes and beliefs toward sexuality care of cancer patients. Study findings demonstrated that social desirable response bias would potentially jeopardize human sexuality assessment and counseling in nursing practice. Controlling social desirable response should consider using a social desirability scale to detect and control potential social desirability bias during data analysis.