Abstract
Problems arising from hypersexual behavior are often seen in clinical settings. We aimed to extend the knowledge about the clinical characteristics of individuals with hypersexual disorder (HD). A group of people who fulfilled the proposed diagnostic criteria for HD (men with HD, n = 50) was compared to a group of healthy controls (n = 40). We investigated differences in sociodemographic, neurodevelopmental, and family factors based on self-report questionnaires and clinical interviews. Men with HD reported elevated rates of sexual activity, paraphilias, consumption of child abusive images, and sexual coercive behavior compared to healthy controls. Moreover, rates of affective disorders, attachment difficulties, impulsivity, and dysfunctional emotion regulation strategies were higher in men with HD. Men with HD seem to have experienced various forms of adverse childhood experiences, but there were no further differences in sociodemographic, neurodevelopmental factors, and family factors. Regression analyses indicated that attachment-related avoidance and early onset of masturbation differentiated between men with HD and healthy controls. In conclusion, men with HD appear to have the same neurodevelopment, intelligence levels, sociodemographic background, and family factors compared to healthy controls, but they report different and adverse experiences in childhood, problematic sexual behavior, and psychological difficulties.
Highlights
Hypersexual disorder (HD) is characterized by intense, repetitive sexual fantasies, urges, and behaviors that lead to clinically significant psychological impairment [1,2,3]
Men with hypersexual disorder (HD) appear to have the same neurodevelopment, intelligence levels, sociodemographic background, and family factors compared to healthy controls, but they report different and adverse experiences in childhood, problematic sexual behavior, and psychological difficulties
Indicators of neurodevelopmental perturbations were similar in men with HD and healthy controls including general developmental factors during childhood (Fisher’s exact test (N = 82), p = 1) distribution of handedness (Fisher’s exact test (N = 85), p = 0.645) and 2D:4D finger length ratio (t(77) = 0.34, p = 0.738)
Summary
Hypersexual disorder (HD) is characterized by intense, repetitive sexual fantasies, urges, and behaviors that lead to clinically significant psychological impairment [1,2,3]. In the forthcoming version of the International Classification of Diseases, ICD-11, hypersexual disorder will be classified as compulsive sexual behavior disorder [7]. Alarming numbers are shown by a recent representative study of men (n = 1151) and women (n = 1174) in the United States that found 10.3% of men and 7% of women showed clinically relevant levels of distress and/or impairment due to difficulties in controlling sexual urges, feelings, and behaviors [8]. Manifestations of hypersexual behavior can include both real-world sexual contacts and online sexual activities. Online use of sexual content in combination with masturbation is the most common behavior that leads to men being diagnosed with hypersexual disorder according to the Kafka criteria [3,9]
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