Sexual Disorders and Gender Variations

• Gender Identity Disorder on DSM


  Was on DSM-IV-TR but removed from DSM-V and labeled as Gender Dysphoria
• Four phases of sexual response

  1. Desire
  2. Excitement
  3. Orgasm
  4. Resolution
• Disorders of Desire

  • Hypoactive sexual desire disorder
  • Sexual aversion disorder
• Hypoactive sexual desire disorder


  Lack of interest in sex and little sexual activity

  • Physical responses may still be normal
• Sexual aversion disorder


  Total aversion/disgust of sex

  • Rare in men, more common in women
• Disorders of Excitement

  • Female sexual arousal disorder (frigidity)
  • Male erectile disorder(impotence)
• Biological causes of desire disorder

  Hormone abnormalities, chronic illness, drugs
• Psychological causes of desire disorders

  Anxiety, depression, OCD, fears, attitudes, memories
• Sociocultural causes of desire disorders

  Attitudes, fears, and psychological disorders that contribute to sexual desire disorders in a social context
• Female sexual arousal disorder

  Repeated inability to maintain proper lubrication or genital swelling
• Male Erectile Disorder


  Repeated inability to attain or maintain an adequate erection during sexual activity
• Biological causes of excitement disorders

  Vascular problems, damage to nervous system, minor physical impairment of the erection may make a man vulnerable to the effects of psychosocial factors
• Medical device developed for diagnosing biological causes of ED

  Nocturnal penile tumescence (NPT)
• Psychological causes of excitement disorders

  Same as HSD, depression, performance anxiety
• Spectator role


  Once a man has erectile difficulties he is worried and becomes a spectator/judge instead of participant
• Milieu Therapy


  1950s

  • Humanistic principles
  • Promotes productive ability, self-respect, and individual responsibility
• Token Economies


  1950s

  • Based on behavioral principles
  • Rewards for positive behavior only
  • Tokens= ??
• Psychological effects of antihistamines and phenothiazines

  Calming effects
• Most effective mode of treatment used alone

  Drug therapy
• Are positive or negative symptoms of schizophrenia treated better with medication?

  Positive symptoms are more greatly effected by drug therapy