25 Years of Contention: A Literature Review and the Reliability and Validity of a Diagnostic Instrument for Impulsive-Compulsive Sexual Behavior
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Authors
Grose, Rose G.
Issue Date
2007
Type
Thesis
Language
en_US
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Abstract
The goal of this study is to improve diagnosis of Impulsive-Compulsive Sexual Behavior (1-
CSB). Currently, the Structured Clinical Interview for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual
(SCID) is the gold standard for clinical diagnosis, yet it does not include modules for the sexual
disorders or for I -CSB because it is not yet included in the American Psychiatric Association's
(APA) diagnostic manual. Development of a SCID-like interview that is shown to be valid and
reliable in differentiating patients with 1-CSB from psychiatric controls would be a crucial step in
standardizing the symptomology, terminology, and assessment of this disorder. A review of the
literature and a discussion of the debate over terminology, critiques of the construct, and key
theoretical perspectives on symptoms, consequences, comorbidity and possible causes precedes a
description of the proposed study.
This review begins with the social construction of normal and abnormal sexuality over
time, specifically in relation to psychology and the AP A's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual
(DSM). Critics of the concept of I -CSB argue, generally, that diagnosis is a means to label
individuals with deviant sexual behavior as pathological. However, many clinicians and
researchers recognize that it is not just frequency or type of sexual behavior that determines
whether a person has problematic fantasies, urges or behaviors, as opposed to 1-CSB. They argue
the distinction lies in the relationship a person has with his or her sexual behavior, and whether it
causes distress and dysfunction. Key theoretical perspectives including sexual addiction,
compulsive sexual behavior, impulse spectrum disorders, paraphilia related disorders, and
personality disorders are analyzed with the conclusion that 1-CSB is the most appropriate
terminology to date.
Commonalities exist between theoretical perspectives pertaining to the negative
consequences of I -CSB, comorbidity, possible causes and prevalence. All clinicians and
researchers would agree that there is a substantial lack of empirical evidence and that more
research is required. Diagnostic tools are limited and reflect the incompleteness of research and
data. The proposed study is designed to further the understanding of I -CSB and diagnosis.
Description
vii, 83 P.
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