Sexual development and life of psychiatric female patients

Using a structured interview and four questionnaires we examined the sexual development and life in the following groups of psychiatric female patients: 51 with schizophrenia, 50 with manic-depressive psychoses, 50 with neuroses, 30 with hysterical psychopathic personality, and 20 with anorexia nervosa. The results were compared with a control group of 101 gynecological spa patients. The sexual development of the schizophrenic patients was found to be retarded, whereas that of the patients with anorexia nervosa accelerated in the initial stages. The sexual development of patients with hysterical personality was found to be disharmonious. No differences were found between patients with manic-depressive psychoses and the control group as far as the sex life in adulthood is concerned. However, all the other groups of psychiatric patients showed decreased sexual activity and/or reactivity. Sexual dysfunctions in the female psychiatric population are frequent, especially with schizophrenic patients, females with anorexia nervosa, and with hysterical personality. The etiological factors responsible for these sex disturbances are different in the individual groups of psychiatric patients.