Classifying Problematic Sexual Behaviors—It's All in the Name

Samenow, Charles P.

doi:10.1080/10720161003697073

Cited by 17 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 5 publications

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“…For example, Winters [8] has argued that including aspects of the addiction model of dysregulated sexuality into the proposed diagnosis demonstrates at least two problems with these criteria: first, expressed sexuality may serve as a means to ameliorate the negative effect associated with some other underlying mental disorder that, when treated, also alleviates the problematic hypersexuality; and second, if repeatedly engaging in sexual behaviors to enhance mood is symptomatic of a distinct sexual disorder, then we must also be willing to accept that repeatedly engaging in nonsexual but rewarding behaviors for a similar effect is symptomatic of other corresponding mental disorders, in particular if accompanied by impairment in day-to-day functioning. There have also been critiques of the use of the term hypersexual disorder, for example, by those who favor the term sexual addiction [9]. However, few would argue against the inclusion of some descriptor for this disorder in diagnostic manuals so that individuals suffering from it can get the treatment they need and desire, clinicians can be paid for treating these patients, and that empirical examinations can be conducted and compared.…”

Section: Diagnosismentioning

confidence: 98%

Assessment, diagnosis, and management of hypersexual disorders

Marshall

Briken

2010

Current Opinion in Psychiatry

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The proposed inclusion of hypersexual disorders in the upcoming Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-V may address many of the current issues related to the lack of empirical research on hypersexuality. Although there have been some gains made on understanding hypersexuality, there remains a lack of consensus and empirical research on hypersexual disorders. There are also an insufficient number of controlled studies on the efficacy of pharmacological and psychological treatments for hypersexual behavior problems.

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Section: Diagnosismentioning

confidence: 98%

Assessment, diagnosis, and management of hypersexual disorders

Marshall

Briken

2010

Current Opinion in Psychiatry

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“…The increasingly timeconsuming sexual fantasies are described as "sexual obsession" and are associated with compulsive sexual behavior. The term "sexual compulsivity" is according to Samenow (2010b) misleading. For example, the term "compulsion" is misleading because the sexually compulsive individual receives a "reward" from the sexual activity and does not necessarily experience a reduction in anxiety, which is a central trait in "classic" compulsive behaviors such as hand washing and checking behaviors.…”

Section: Sexual Compulsivitymentioning

confidence: 99%

A Randomized Controlled Study of Group-Administered Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Hypersexual Disorder in Men

Hallberg

Kaldo

Arver

et al. 2019

The Journal of Sexual Medicine

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Background Hypersexual disorder (HD) is defined as a condition in which the individual loses control over engagement in sexual behaviors, leading to distress and negative effects on key life areas. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has been proven to reduce symptoms of hypersexual behavior; however, no randomized controlled study of CBT interventions for HD has been reported previously. Aim To investigate the efficacy of group-administered CBT for HD. Methods Male participants (n = 137) diagnosed with HD, were randomized between 7 weeks of group-administered CBT (n = 70) and a waitlist control receiving the intervention after 8 weeks (n = 67). Measurements were administered at pre-, mid-, and posttreatment, with follow-up after 3 and 6 months. Outcomes The primary outcome was the Hypersexual Disorder: Current Assessment Scale (HD:CAS), and secondary outcomes were the Sexual Compulsivity Scale (SCS) and measures of depression (Montgomery–Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS-S), psychological distress (Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation Outcome Measure (CORE-OM), and treatment satisfaction (CSQ-8). Results A significantly greater decrease in HD symptoms and sexual compulsivity, as well as significantly greater improvements in psychiatric well-being, were found for the treatment condition compared with the waitlist. These effects remained stable at 3 and 6 months after treatment. Clinical Implications CBT can ameliorate HD symptoms and psychiatric distress, suggesting that the CBT program may serve as a first-line treatment in clinical settings. Strengths & Limitations This is the first randomized controlled study evaluating the efficacy of a CBT program in a rather large sample of HD-specific diagnosed men. The long-term treatment effects are vague due to the low response rate on follow-up measurements, and the efficacy of this program for hypersexual women remains unknown. Conclusion This study supports the efficacy of a group-administered CBT program as a treatment option for HD; however, future studies should include women, comprise dismantling analysis of the constituting interventions, and evaluate other treatment formats, for example, administration via the Internet.

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“…Many researchers, however, have posited that sexual addiction most clearly captures the nature of out of control sexual behavior (Carnes, 2001;Garcia & Thibaut, 2010;Goodman, 2001;Hagedorn & Juhnke, 2005;Samenow, 2010) with neuroscience scholars and researchers supporting this assertion (Hilton, 2013;Kühn & Gallinat, 2014;Voon et al, 2014). Carnes (2001) described sexual addiction as an unhealthy relationship with a "mood-altering experience" (p. 14), suggesting that sex addiction is not about frequency or type of sexual behavior, but rather about a pathological relationship with sexual behaviors that are uncontrollable and persist regardless of harmful consequences.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Using the PATHOS Questionnaire for Screening Sexual Addiction Among College Students: A Preliminary Exploration

Cashwell

Giordano

Lewis

et al. 2015

Sexual Addiction & Compulsivity

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Researchers posit that sexual addiction often develops in young adulthood (Goodman, 2005), the time when many individuals are in college. The PATHOS screening questionnaire (Carnes et al., 2012) may be a helpful resource for counselors working with collegiate populations to identify those in need of further assessment for sexual addiction. We collected data from 379 undergraduate students and found that 21.2% of males and 6.7% of females endorsed 3 or more items on the PATHOS, suggesting a need for additional assessment. We discuss implications and limitations of these findings and highlight the need for additional research on college populations.

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Classifying Problematic Sexual Behaviors—It's All in the Name

Cited by 17 publications

References 5 publications

Assessment, diagnosis, and management of hypersexual disorders

Assessment, diagnosis, and management of hypersexual disorders

A Randomized Controlled Study of Group-Administered Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Hypersexual Disorder in Men

Using the PATHOS Questionnaire for Screening Sexual Addiction Among College Students: A Preliminary Exploration

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