Psychological characteristics of women with inhibited sexual desire

A multifaceted study was conducted to identify differences in biopsychosocial characteristics between a clinical group of 59 married women who complained of inhibited sexual desire (ISD) and 31 married women who expressed normal sexual desire. This report focuses on the findings obtained from the groups' personality profiles generated by the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI). Statistical analyses indicated no significant differences between the ISD and non-ISD groups with regard to two of the three validity and 10 primary clinical scales of the MMPI. Both group profiles were classified as subclinical with no evidence of serious psychological disturbance. The implications for this nonsignificant association between intrapsychic symptomatology and ISD are discussed.