Predictors of Compulsive Sexual Behavior Among Treatment-Seeking Women

Compulsive Sexual Behavior Disorder is currently included in the forthcoming eleventh revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11); however, prior studies have been conducted mostly on heterosexual, White/European male samples.

To examine the correlates of compulsive sexual behaviors (CSB) with sociodemographic and sexual history characteristics, as well as predictors of CSB in a sample of treatment-seeking Polish women.

Six hundred seventy-four (674) Polish women aged 18-66 completed an online-based survey.

Polish adaptation of the Sexual Addiction Screening Test-Revised (SAST-PL) was used to assess the severity of CSB symptoms. Brief Pornography Screen was used to measure problematic pornography use. The bivariate associations between SAST-PL scores and demographic and sexual history characteristics were also examined. A linear regression analysis was performed to identify variables related to the severity of CSB symptoms.

Thirty one percent (31.8%) of women in the studied sample reported treatment seeking for CSB in the past. Problematic pornography use was the strongest predictor of CSB symptoms. Higher severity of CSB symptoms were observed among divorced/separated and single women compared to those who were married or in informal relation. Severity of CSB was positively related to the number of sexual partners during the last year, number of dyadic sexual intercourse during the last 7 days, and negatively associated with age of first sexual intercourse.

Our results suggest that CSB is a significant concern among women and more research is needed to identify protective (eg, relationship status) and risk (eg, problematic pornography use, number of past year sexual partners, frequency of past week masturbation) factors associated with CSB symptom severity among treatment-seeking women.

Our study is one of very few investigating predictors of CSB among women. Given the lack of precise estimates of the prevalence, as well as lack of psychometrically validated instruments measuring CSB in women, present findings should not be considered indicative of CSB prevalence among Polish women.

The lack of clinical data on women reporting issues with CSB remains an important target for future clinical research exploration. Kowalewska E, Gola M, Lew-Starowicz M, et al. Predictors of Compulsive Sexual Behavior Among Treatment-Seeking Women. Sex Med 2022;10:100525.