Table of contents:
- Sexual disorders according to psychology
- Sexual dysfunctions in DSM-IV
- Sexual disorders in DSM-V
- List of common sexual disorders and their symptoms
- 1. Sexual Dysfunctions
- 2. Hypoactive sexual desire
- 3. Aversion to sex
- 4. Paraphilias
- Psychiatry of sexual disorders
- Sexual disorders according to DSM-V: conclusions
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In our society, sexual behaviors continue to be a taboo subject, which is why many doubts continue to appear regarding the different problems and disorders related to sex. What is a sexual disorder? What is the difference between a dysfunction and a disorder ? How can I treat my sexual problems?
If all these doubts appear in your mind, we recommend that you continue reading this interesting article from Psychology-Online. In it you will find an extensive study of sexual dysfunctions and a list of symptoms of sexual disorders according to the DSM-V: the most widely used diagnostic manual in psychology.
You may also be interested in: Types of learning disorders: DSM-V classification Index- Sexual disorders according to psychology
- Sexual disorders in DSM-V
- List of common sexual disorders and their symptoms
- Psychiatry of sexual disorders
- Sexual disorders according to DSM-V: conclusions
Sexual disorders according to psychology
Fortunately, psychology has tried to collect as much information as possible related to sexual orientation and behavior. From Freud's psychoanalysis to Kinsey's sexual orientation scale, many experts have attempted to study the human behavior of the sexual act. In the penultimate edition of the DSM diagnostic manual (The DSM-IV, published in 1994 ) we can see that sexual disorders were collected as follows:
Sexual dysfunctions in DSM-IV
Under the name of sexual dysfunctions are included all those alterations (essentially inhibitions) that occur in any of the phases of the sexual response and that prevent or hinder the satisfactory enjoyment of sexuality (Labrador, 1994). In the specification of diagnostic categories, the DSM-IV (APA, 1994) is based on the triphasic model of the sexual response cycle: desire, arousal and orgasm.
The APA includes an additional category that includes those dysfunctions that involve more than alteration of a phase of the response, the appearance of pain at any time during sexual activity. Consequently, DSM-IV considers these four main categories of dysfunction:
- Sexual desire disorders, including inhibited (or underactive) sexual desire and sex aversion disorder;
- Disorders of sexual arousal, differentiating it in men (erection disorder) and in women;
- Orgasm disorders, also differentiating between female and male orgasmic dysfunction, and also including a specific category for the diagnosis of premature ejaculation;
- Sexual pain disorders, including dyspareunia and vaginismus.
Sexual disorders in DSM-V
The last revision of the diagnostic manual was carried out in 2014, the DSM-V it contains some variation from the diagnostic criteria for sexual disorders defined in DSM-IV.
In this manual, disorders related to sexual behavior are divided as follows:
- Sexual dysfunctions: those previously included in the DSM-IV
- Paraphilic Disorders: disorders related to inappropriate or poorly normative sexual arousal (fetishisms, philias, unusual attraction to objects…)
- Gender dysphoria: disturbance and discomfort due to the socially assigned gender at birth. People with gender dysphoria often resort to a sex change or choose to define themselves by another gender with the aim of improving their psychological well-being.
List of common sexual disorders and their symptoms
Here are some of the most common sexual disorders and what their diagnostic criteria are:
1. Sexual Dysfunctions
In order to diagnose the sexual dysfunctions that we have been mentioning throughout the article, the following criteria must be met:
- There is no organic / or substance pathology causing marked discomfort difficulties in interpersonal relationships
- Present in most sexual relations (70-80%)
- Persistence of at least 6 months
2. Hypoactive sexual desire
- Persistent or recurring decrease (or absence) of fantasies and desires for sexual activity. The judgment of deficiency or absence must be made by the clinician, taking into account factors that, such as age, sex and the context of the individual's life, affect sexual activity.
- Hypoactive sexual disorder causes marked distress or interpersonal relationship difficulties.
- The sexual disorder is not better explained by the presence of another disorder (except other sexual dysfunction) and is not due exclusively to the direct physiological effects of a substance (eg, drugs, drugs) or a general medical condition.
3. Aversion to sex
- Persistent or recurrent extreme aversion to, and with avoidance of, all (or virtually all) genital sexual contact with a sexual partner.
- The alteration causes marked discomfort or difficulties in interpersonal relationships.
- The sexual disorder is not better explained by the presence of another disorder (except another sexual disorder).
4. Paraphilias
- Non-normative sexual behaviors in which the patient shows absolute dependence on that object or behavior to obtain pleasure.
- Currently the term addiction is also accepted.
- Some of the most common paraphilias are: exhibitionism, fetishism, frotteurism, sexual masochism and sexual sadism.
Psychiatry of sexual disorders
Their dichotomous view of these types of disorders (there is or is not sexual dysfunction) has been criticized, since sexuality and sexual functioning seem to fit better on a continuum of individual and interpersonal satisfaction (cf. Wincze and Carey, 1991). In the same way, the differentiation of the psychogenic vs. organic, as it is considered simplistic and excessively restrictive (cf. LoPiccolo, 1992; Mohr and Beutler, 1990).
For its part, the most recent classification of the World Health Organization, the ICD-10 (WHO, 1992) shows a remarkable parallel with the APA classification, including among non-organic sexual dysfunctions the following:
- Excessive sexual drive (which is the main novelty, since this diagnostic category is not included in the DSM-IV).
- Absence or loss of sexual desire.
- Rejection and absence of sexual pleasure.
- Failure in genital response.
- Orgasmic dysfunction.
- Premature ejaculation
- Non-organic dyspareunia.
- Non-organic vaginismus.
- Other sexual dysfunctions.
These classifications, based on the phases of sexual response, do not obviate the diagnostic overlaps. In fact, overlap and comorbidity are common. Thus, for example, Segraves and Segraves (1993), in a study with 588 patients (men and women) diagnosed with hypoactive TDS, found that 41% of women and 47% of men had at least one other sexual dysfunction.
Sexual disorders according to DSM-V: conclusions
Despite the limitations of a diagnosis based on the DSM-IV or ICD-10, it is evident that they are widely accepted classification systems and that they have a relatively precise description of the type of symptoms or behaviors that are included.
However, in most studies on sexual dysfunctions, diagnoses are not based on DSM criteria or categories, but on self-reports by the patients themselves about their sexual behaviors, often generic and informal descriptions (eg certain erection difficulties, lack of orgasms…), or clinical assessments in excess of customer opinion.
This article is merely informative, in Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.
If you want to read more articles similar to Sexual disorders according to DSM-V, we recommend that you enter our Sexology category.
References- DSM-IV, D. (1994). Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. American Psychiatric Association , 535.
- Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders: DSM-5 . Editorial medica panamericana, 2014.
- Donahey, KM, & Carroll, RA (1993). Gender differences in factors associated with hypoactive sexual desire. Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy , 19 (1), 25-40.