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The Sexual Adjustment of Chronic Schizophrenics: A Preliminary Study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

G. C. Lyketsos
Affiliation:
University of Athens, 16 Academias Street, Athens 134, Greece
P. Sakka
Affiliation:
Dromokaition Mental Hospital, Athens, Greece
A. Maïlis
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Athens, Athens 134, Greece

Summary

A comparison of a group of chronic schizophrenics with controls showed that: the patients had significantly less interest in sex, frequency of intercourse, and satisfaction from sex; the percentage of individuals with sexual dreams and sexual fantasies did not differ between the two groups; the severity of psychopathology influenced frequency of intercourse and satisfaction from sex, and the length of institutionalization influenced interest in sex; the schizophrenics had a variety of sexual disorders, but there was a significant difference between the sexes in disturbances of thought and perception; and, significantly more male schizophrenics, in comparison with females, had sexual dysfunction associated with pharmacotherapy, but feminization in the males was far from predominant.

The patients' sexual disorders are not disturbing to the social life of the open mental hospital or the community surrounding it.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © 1983 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

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