[Sexual impotence: clinical and existential context]

A simple classification in global impotence and erective impotence appears closer to reality than more sophisticated but more arbitrary classification. In the majority of cases, impotence reflects a global psychological dysfunction. Psychogenic impotents are most of the time inferiorized subjects alledging organic or other non justified factors to their disorder. Generally, they are peaceful, obsessive, often hypothymic; they express disgust for the body, suffer various somatic dysfunctions due to the sexual stasis; they have difficulties in communicating with things and beings. As compared to erective impotents, it seems that the global impotents have a more rigid father, are among the younger sibblings and have more brothers and sisters. The author describes further some observations of partners and of couples, as well as etiological and prognostic factors.