Abstract
Background and aims: Hypersexuality and sexual addiction among females is a little understudied phenomenon. Shame is thought to be intrinsic to hypersexual behaviours, especially in women. Therefore, the aim of this study was to understand both hypersexual behaviours and consequences of hypersexual behaviours and their respective contributions to shame in a British sample of females (n = 102). Methods: Data were collected online via Survey Monkey. Results: Results showed the Sexual Behaviour History (SBH) and the Hypersexual Disorder Questionnaire (HDQ) had significant positive correlation with scores on the Shame Inventory. The results indicated that hypersexual behaviours were able to predict a small percentage of the variability in shame once sexual orientation (heterosexual vs. non-heterosexual) and religious beliefs (belief vs. no belief) were controlled for. Results also showed there was no evidence that religious affiliation and/or religious beliefs had an influence on the levels of hypersexuality and consequences of sexual behaviours as predictors of shame. Conclusions: While women in the UK are rapidly shifting to a feminist way of thinking with or without technology, hypersexual disorder may often be misdiagnosed and misunderstood because of the lack of understanding and how it is conceptualised. The implications of these findings are discussed.
Highlights
Shame is thought to be intrinsic to hypersexual behaviours, especially in women (Gilliland, South, Carpenter & Hardy, 2011)
Step 2 showed that consequences of sexual behaviour (SBC) was the only variable that predicted shame, suggesting that it had the potential to mediate the association of hypersexual behaviours with shame
Note: R2 = .18 for Step 1; R2 = .25 for Step 2. * p < .05. † Mediating variable dicating that the association of hypersexual behaviours (HBI) and shame were completely mediated by consequences of sexual behaviour
Summary
Shame is thought to be intrinsic to hypersexual behaviours, especially in women (Gilliland, South, Carpenter & Hardy, 2011). Many females may experience some temporary relief when engaging in the acting-out stage of Carnes’ (1983) cycle of sexual addiction, McDaniel and Valenti-Anderson (2012) noted that a significant number of women report that during and after the behaviour they feel shame, especially when they find themselves in the same situation of powerlessness repeatedly. This level of shame towards self confirms her negative core beliefs, the feeling of emotional discomfort and seeking ways to alleviate that distress which further perpetuates the cycle (Ferree, Hudson, Katehakis, McDaniel & Valenti-Anderson, 2012).
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