Background:　The　three-item　Sexual　Distress　Scale　(SDS-3)　has　been　frequently　used　to　assess　distress　related　to　sexuality　in　public　health　surveys　and　research　on　sexual　wellbeing.　However,　its　psychometric　properties　and　measurement　invariance　across　cultural,　gender　and　sexual　subgroups　have　not　yet　been　examined.　This　multinational　study　aimed　to　validate　the　SDS-3　and　test　its　psychometric　properties,　including　measurement　invariance　across　language,　country,　gender　identity,　and　sexual　orientation　groups.　Methods:　We　used　global　survey　data　from　82,243　individuals　(Mean　(age)=32.39　years;　40.3　%　men,　57.0　%　women,　2.8　%　non-binary,　and　0.6　%　other　genders)　participating　in　the　International　Sexual　Survey　(ISS;　https:　//internationalsexsurvey.org/)　across　42　countries　and　26　languages.　Participants　completed　the　SDS-3,　as　well　as　questions　regarding　sociodemographic　characteristics,　including　gender　identity　and　sexual　orientation.　Results:　Confirmatory　factor　analysis　(CFA)　supported　a　unidimensional　factor　structure　for　the　SDS-3,　and　multi-group　CFA　(MGCFA)　suggested　that　this　factor　structure　was　invariant　across　countries,　languages,　gender　identities,　and　sexual　orientations.　Cronbach＇s　alpha　for　the　unidimensional　score　was　0.83　(range　between　0.76　and　0.89),　and　McDonald＇s　omega　was　0.84　(range　between　0.76　and　0.90).　Participants　who　did　not　experience　sexual　problems　had　significantly　lower　SDS-3　total　scores　(M　=　2.99;　SD=2.54)　compared　to　those　who　reported　sexual　problems　(M　=　5.60;　SD=3.00),　with　a　large　effect　size　(Cohen＇s　d　=　1.01　[95　%　CI=-1.03,　-0.98];　p　＜　0.001).　Conclusion:　The　SDS-3　has　a　unidimensional　factor　structure　and　appears　to　be　valid　and　reliable　for　measuring　sexual　distress　among　individuals　from　different　countries,　gender　identities,　and　sexual　orientations.