From disorder to dimensionality: Reconceptualizing compulsive sexual behavior-Commentary on Grubbs and Boness (2025)

Comments on the article by J. B. Grubbs and C. L. Boness (see record 2025-66167-001). Compulsive sexual behavior (CSB) is a complex and often misunderstood condition, characterized by persistent, distressing patterns of out-of-control sexual behavior. Despite increasing prevalence, CSB remains diagnostically ambiguous and is subject to ongoing debate about how it should be conceptualized. While various existing frameworks capture core aspects of the condition, none seems to fully account for its diverse features. This commentary argues that rigid categorical diagnostic models may be limiting progress in both research and clinical care for CSB. Instead, a multidimensional, process-oriented approach is proposed, drawing on the Research Domain Criteria framework to better understand the underlying mechanisms of CSB. Through this approach, CSB is conceptualized not as a unidimensional disorder but as a syndrome with multiple pathways and individualized presentations. Implications for assessment, diagnosis, and treatment are discussed, with a call for research to identify distinct subtypes and develop modular, targeted interventions. Embracing the complexity of CSB may ultimately lead to a more nuanced understanding of its presentation and better treatment outcomes. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).