Assessing psychological symptom patterns of patients seeking help for hypersexual behavior

Abstract

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.

Keywords:

• hypersexuality
• sex addiction
• sexual compulsivity
• psychopathology