Demoralization, Hypomanic Activation, and Disconstraint Scores on MMPI-2 Scales as Significant Predictors of Hypersexual Behavior

Abstract

This article reports the findings of a study investigating which facets of psychopathology are most strongly associated with hypersexual behavior among a patient sample (N = 151). Psychopathology was measured using the Restructured Clinical scales and the PSY-5 scales of the MMPI-2, and hypersexual behavior was measured using the Sexual Compulsivity Scale. Regression analysis revealed that Demoralization was the strongest predictor of scores on a measure of hypersexuality, with Hypomanic Activation on the RC scales and Disconstraint on the PSY-5 scales making additional modest, but statistically significant, contributions. Although some MMPI-2 scales were significantly elevated, an important finding of the current investigation is the lack of elevations across many MMPI-2 scales. The results of these findings are addressed and recommendations for future research are discussed.