Subjective and penile plethysmograph responses following aversion-relief and apomorphine aversion therapy for homosexual impulses.

Abstract

Results with relationship psychotherapy and with behaviour therapy in the treatment of homosexuality have not differed significantly as far as can be assessed, considering the different criteria used to measure response to treatment. Woodward (1956) reported that 36 per cent. and Bieber (1962) that 27 per cent. of their homosexual patients became exclusively heterosexual following psychotherapy; MacCulloch and Feldman (1967) reported a similar response in 33 per cent. of their patient group following behaviour therapy. The last authors also stated that 58 per cent. of their patients became heterosexual on the Kinsey scale (Kinsey et al., 1948). Mayerson and Lief (1965), using a similarly less rigorous definition of heterosexuality, concluded that 50 per cent. of their group achieved this state following psychotherapy. Freund (1960) considered that 18 per cent. of the group he treated showed a satisfactory response in that they had heterosexual intercourse regularly for several years after aversion therapy. He has been the only worker so far to utilize such a long follow-up period, and also the only one to report that some of his patients at later interviews admitted that they had lied about their degree of response at earlier interviews.