Out of control sexual behavior: Can it be assessed?

The twin scourge of Human Immuno-deficiency Virus (HIV) and Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), causative agents for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and cancer of the cervix, has prompted the emphasis on sexual health and reproductive tract infection. And the obvious link between these infectious agents and their uncomfortable effects is sexual intercourse, especially when unprotected. Individual that exhibit out-of-control-sexual behavior are at exceptional risk of these poor outcomes. A new research highlights a useful tool application to young people that can be used to identify individuals who are so “preoccupied with their sexual desires and behaviors to the degree that disruptions in social relationships, occupational difficulties, and problems in daily living are experienced by them”.

They administered the questionnaire to college students, containing 170 items and taking approximately 40 minutes, which may be coming to a school near you. An important observation was that sexual orientation was independent factor that predicted sexual behavior. In terms of poor responses to the adverse outcomes associated with this behavior, men solely expressed themselves in physical terms; “the pattern maybe experiencing pain, injury or problems” while women expressed themselves more in psychological, spiritual and emotional terms, “actions being inconsistent with their spiritual belief, feeling ashamed or guilty.

The author concluded by stating that “the results of the study indicate that the Sexual Compulsivity Scale is a reliable and valid tool for assessing sexual compulsivity among college students and the findings indicate that higher levels of sexual compulsivity, the greater the negative outcomes, as well as sexual risk-taking behaviors.

Mcbride K, Reece M, Sandes SA (2008). Using the Sexual Compulsivity Scale to Predict Outcomes of Sexual Behavior in Young Adults. Sexual Addiction & Compulsivity; 15:97–115, 2008.