Psychological characteristics of males with secondary erectile failure

Sexual self-perception in schizophrenic and depressive patients

BACKGROUND

Sexual self-perception is just one of the items of the complex system of self, which has rarely been researched in the population of mental health patients.

OBJECTIVE

Our goal was to establish whether the differences in sexual self-perception exist between schizophrenic and depressive patients compared with the healthy control group.

PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS

This research was performed on 100 schizophrenic patients, 100 depressive patients and 100 phenotypically healthy volunteers. In order to diagnose schizophrenia and depression, DSM-IV classification was used. Bezinovic's questionnaire for sexual self-perception was used in order to assess seven aspects of sexual self-perception.

RESULTS

Results revealed that schizophrenic and depressive patients, compared with healthy individuals, scored significantly higher on the aspects of negative emotionality and sexual incompetence, and significantly lower on the aspect of sexual satisfaction. No statistically significant differences were established between schizophrenic and depressive patients.

CONCLUSION

We can conclude that patients suffering from schizophrenia or depression differ from healthy individuals in all of the aspects of sexual self-perception.

A population study of the association between sexual function, sexual satisfaction and depressive symptoms in men

BACKGROUND

Depression and erectile dysfunction (ED) have a complex and bi-directional relationship. We examined the relationships between erectile dysfunction and depressive symptoms or diagnosed depression, sexual activity and sexual satisfaction.

METHODS

A population survey of men aged 40-70 years was carried out in Brazil, Italy, Japan and Malaysia in 1997-1998. A questionnaire was used to collect life style, sexual behaviors and medical data. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. ED was classified as moderate or complete if the men reported they were "sometimes" or "never" able to achieve and maintain an erection satisfactory for sexual intercourse. Only men with a sexual partner and not taking psychoactive drugs were considered.

RESULTS

Diagnosed depression was reported by 2.0% of the men, depressive symptoms by 21.0%. The prevalence of moderate or complete ED was 17.8%. Sexual satisfaction related to the frequency of sexual intercourse and inversely related to depressive symptoms. Depressive symptoms were positively associated with being single (odds ratio [OR] 1.7), widowed, separated or divorced (OR 2.2), moderate or complete ED (1.8), heart disease (1.6) and smoking (1.6), and negatively associated with age, physical activity and frequency of sexual intercourse.

LIMITATIONS

Cross-sectional studies cannot establish a temporal cause-effect relationship. However, the confirmation of known associations reassures about the validity of the original findings.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings suggest that depressive symptoms are linked to ED by the mediation of decreased sexual activity and the dissatisfaction generated by the inability to have a healthy sexual life.

The relationship between depressive symptoms and male erectile dysfunction: cross-sectional results from the Massachusetts Male Aging Study

OBJECTIVE

Studies have shown that there is an association between depression and male erectile dysfunction (MED). However. these earlier studies suffer considerable methodological flaws including: a) lack of a multidisciplinary approach; b) poor sampling techniques; and finally, c) poor and variable measures of MED and depression. Our objectives are: a) to determine whether MED is associated with depressive symptoms and b) to determine whether this association is independent of aging and para-aging factors.

METHOD

Data were obtained from the Massachusetts Male Aging Study (MMAS). The MMAS was a cross-sectional, population-based multidisciplinary survey of health in normally aging men (aged 40-70 years) conducted from 1986 to 1989. In the analytic model, depressive symptoms, as measured by a score of 16 or greater on the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression (CES-D) scale, was used as a predictor of MED, which was assessed with a self-administered questionnaire.

RESULTS

MED was associated with depressive symptoms after controlling for potential confounders (odds ratio (OR) 1.82, 95% confidence interval (Ct) 1.21-2.73).

CONCLUSIONS

We conclude that the relationship between depressive symptoms and MED in middle-aged men is robust and independent of important aging and para-aging confounders, such as demographic, anthropometric and lifestyle factors, health status, medication use, and hormones.

Psychological screening of impotence with Finney's MMPI-derived Impotence Scale

Three groups of patients in treatment were assessed for impotence, using MMPI-derived Impotence Scale. Group I were 46 patients who had been screened and scheduled for a penile prosthesis when the impotence resulted from known organic causes (biogenic). Group II were 198 patients in a sexual dysfunction clinic, for whom biogenic causes had been ruled out (psychogenic). Group III were 51 substance abusers in drug rehabilitation. While scores on the Impotence Scale did not distinguish between the biogenic and psychogenic groups, the scores were almost three times higher than average scores among subjects in the standardization sample. MMPI-derived Impotence Scale scores were similarly elevated among the substance abusers. Results suggest that the Impotence Scale may serve as a useful screening tool to alert clinicians to the possibility of erectile dysfunction for which further clinical evaluation would be required.

Development of the male function profile/impotence questionnaire

This paper describes three studies conducted to develop the Male Function Profile/Impotence Questionnaire as well as the psychometric properties of the instrument. The questionnaire is computer scored and, based on an interactional model, differentiates between organogenic and psychogenic causes for erectile dysfunction. Each subject is assigned one of 21 impotence profiles. Additional work-up recommendations are based on a breakdown and narrative describing all medical and psychological factors which bear on the subject's impotence.

An approach to the management of sexual dysfunction in the adolescent male

Sexual dysfunction in the adolescent male appears to be increasing. Erectile dysfunction (impotence) and premature ejaculation are the most common. Illustrated by three cases, a review of the prominent causes of sexual dysfunction is provided along with a discussion of an approach to adequate sexual history taking, physical evaluation, and treatment.

The role of anxiety in sexual dysfunctions: a review

Studies are reviewed which (a) compare anxiety and other measures of psychopathology between normals and dysfunctionals ; (b) evaluate the effectiveness of anxiety reduction procedures for treating sexual dysfunctions; and (c) try to identify anxiety-related stimuli that alter sexual arousal. The studies, in general, suggest that (a) anxiety is common among people with sexual dysfunctions, but that the level and nature of the anxiety may vary greatly between individuals; (b) anxiety reduction procedures improve some, but probably not all, aspects of sexual dysfunctions; and (c) recent research has begun to identify some anxiety-related factors that can disrupt sexual arousal.