Hypersexual Behavior Inventory Research Articles

A Surprising Finding Related to Executive Control in a Patient Sample of Hypersexual Men

Patients seeking help for hypersexual behavior often exhibit features of impulsivity, cognitive rigidity, and poor judgment as well as deficits in emotion regulation and excessive preoccupation with sex. Some of these characteristics are also common among patients presenting with neurological pathology associated with executive dysfunction. Exploring relationships between dysregulated sexual behavior and executive deficits will enhance our understanding of hypersexuality. This study sought to assess whether patients seeking help for hypersexual behavior exhibit executive deficits as measured by standardized neuropsychological tests of executive functioning when compared with healthy controls. Executive deficits were assessed in a sample of male patients (N = 30) seeking help for hypersexual behavior compared with a nonhypersexual community sample of men (N = 30) using neuropsychological tests of executive functioning. Using multivariate statistics, differences between the groups were examined. Sexual activity measured by the Hypersexual Behavior Inventory and the Compulsive Sexual Behavior Inventory. Executive functions measured through neuropsychological testing using several subtests of Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System: Color-Word Interference Test, the Tower Test, the Trail Making Test, the Verbal Fluency Test, as well as the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test. Psychopathology was assessed using the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview, and cognitive ability was assessed using the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale. Significant differences on measures of hypersexuality were observed. However, the groups failed to exhibit significant differences across neuropsychological tests of executive functioning even after controlling for cognitive ability. These results contradict a previous finding of executive deficits among hypersexual men measured by self-report. The lack of executive deficits suggests that this population may exhibit domain-specific aspects of impulsivity, poor judgment, and risky behavior that are not generalizable to other domains of life. Furthermore, our findings fail to support a conceptualization of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition, proposed hypersexual disorder based on models of executive dysfunction. .

Reliability, Validity, and Psychometric Development of the Hypersexual Behavior Inventory in an Outpatient Sample of Men

Psychometric properties of the Hypersexual Behavior Inventory (HBI) are reported using treatment-seeking samples of hypersexual men. Study 1 details item reduction and exploratory factor analysis of the HBI. Study 2 provides results of a confirmatory factor analysis yielding a 3-factor model measuring Control, Consequences, and Coping associated with sexual thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Concurrent and discriminant validity was established with measures of theoretically related and dissimilar constructs. The psychometric properties of the HBI suggest it reflects the proposed DSM-V classification criteria for hypersexual disorder and has both the clinical and research utility to advance a more comprehensive understanding of hypersexuality.

Differentiating Emotions in a Sample of Men in Treatment for Hypersexual Behavior

This study investigated distinct emotions in a sample of men (n = 103) seeking help for hypersexual behavior compared to a control group of college students (n = 100) using the Hypersexual Behavior Inventory and the Differential Emotions Scale. Significant differences between groups emerged on several domains of emotion and hypersexual behavior. Self-hostility was the most significant predictor of hypersexual behavior. These findings suggest that self-critical affect, such as shame, might exert an influence in precipitating or perpetuating hypersexual behavior.

Self-Reported Differences on Measures of Executive Function and Hypersexual Behavior in a Patient and Community Sample of Men

ABSTRACTPatients seeking help for hypersexual behavior often exhibit features of impulsivity, cognitive rigidity, poor judgment, deficits in emotion regulation, and excessive preoccupation with sex. Some of these characteristics are also common among patients presenting with neurological pathology associated with executive dysfunction. These observations led to the current investigation of differences between a group of hypersexual patients (n == 87) and a non-hypersexual community sample (n == 92) of men using the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function—Adult Version (BRIEF-A) and the Hypersexual Behavior Inventory (HBI). Significant differences between the groups emerged on eight subscales and all of the general indices of executive functioning with the most dramatic differences on BRIEF-A's Shift, Emotional Control, Initiate, and Plan/Organize subscales. Hypersexual behavior was positively correlated (r == .37, p < .01) with global indices of executive dysfunction and several subscales of the BRIEF-A. These findings provide preliminary evidence supporting the hypothesis that executive dysfunction may be implicated in hypersexual behavior.

Coping strategies used by hypersexual patients to defend against the painful effects of shame

This article reports the findings of a study investigating coping strategies used by hypersexual patients (n = 71), compared with a control group (n = 73), in their attempts to defend against shame. Coping strategies were measured using the Compass of Shame Scale (CoSS) and hypersexual behaviour was measured by the Hypersexual Behavior Inventory (HBI). A multivariate analysis of variance of between-group differences was significant, and examination of post hoc univariate tests revealed that the sample of hypersexual patients defended against shame with higher levels of withdrawal and higher tendencies to attack self and others when compared with the control group. The effect sizes of these differences were moderate to large. A categorical analysis of the patient group indicated that the greatest percentages of elevated shame scores were clustered on the Withdrawal and Attack Self subscales of the CoSS. Between-group differences on the Avoidance subscale of the CoSS were not significant. The results of this study are discussed as they pertain to clinical practice, and future recommendations for research are offered.

Assessing psychological symptom patterns of patients seeking help for hypersexual behavior

This study used the Symptom Checklist to examine the psychological symptom patterns among hypersexual patients (n = 59) at intake compared to a control group of non-hypersexual individuals (n = 55). Group membership for the hypersexual group was assigned based on the individual's chief complaint at intake and on elevated scores on the Hypersexual Behavior Inventory. A discriminant function analysis of between-group differences was statistically significant and post-hoc univariate tests revealed several distinct features associated with the hypersexual group compared to the controls. These findings are discussed in the context of treatment implications for clinicians working with patients seeking help for hypersexual behavior.