Bill N. Kinder

The mislabeling of sexual impulsivity

Several authors have discussed a pattern of behavior that has been called Compulsive Sexual Behavior, Sexual Addiction, or Hypersexuality. The literature concerning this disorder is reviewed. It is suggested that the various labels applied to this disorder are inaccurate descriptions that are not reflective of the true nature of the condition. It is further suggested that this behavioral pattern is best viewed as a manifestation of an Atypical Impulse Control Disorder.

Drug and Alcohol Education Programs: A Review of Outcome Studies

Outcome studies of the effectiveness of drug and alcohol education programs are reviewed. Studies were examined that dealt with student populations as well as adult programs. In addition, specific population variables and methods of presentation were evaluated for their impact on the education process. The data indicate that these programs have been ineffective in obtaining the goals of reducing substance abuse or preventing future abuse. Among student populations there is evidence to suggest that these programs may exacerbate the use and sale of drugs and alcohol. The data on programs with adults are more encouraging though far from conclusive. Suggestions for future outcome studies in the area are enumerated with emphasis on the variety of methodological problems that exist in the literature to date.

Effects of child and adult sexual abuse on adult sexuality.

The differential effects of child and adult sexual abuse on adult sexual functioning were examined. The Golombok Rust Inventory of Sexual Satisfaction (GRISS) and a sexual experiences questionnaire were administered to 201 psychology students at the University of South Florida, 175 of whom were retained in the study. GRISS variables that were analyzed consisted of anorgasmia, sexual avoidance, sexual dissatisfaction, sexual noncommunication, nonsensuality, and vaginismus. Women who were sexually abused in adulthood were more sexually dissatisfied and nonsensual than women who had no history of sexual abuse. In addition, women who had a history of sexual abuse in childhood or adulthood were less satisfied with the overall quality of their most recent sexual relationship than non-abused women and had higher numbers of unsafe sexual partners.

A Theoretical Analysis of Sex Differences In Same-Sex Friendships

An investigation of sex differences in same-sex friendships was conducted in terms of the intersection and social penetration model of relationship development, and Bems theory of sex role orientation. The results indicated that there were significant sex differences in the nature of the same-sex friendships studied. In the terminology of Levingers (“Toward the Analysis of Close Relationships,” Journal of Experimental Psychology, 1980, 16, 510–544) intersection model, female same-sex friendships indicated greater involvement. In the terminology of Altman and Taylors (Social Penetration: The Development of Interpersonal Relationships, New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston, 1973) social penetration model, female friendships demonstrated greater depth. Overall, the female friendships were of longer duration than those of the males. The differences in involvement and depth were found within each designated level of friendship (causal, good, and close). However, the difference in involvement was moderated by the sex role orientation of the participants, in that the sex difference was greater between sex-typed individuals than between androgynous individuals. An examination of questionnaire subscale intercorrelations indicated that females tended to seek friends to whom they could relate in many different areas, while males tended to develop different relationships to meet different needs.

The Relationship Between Childhood Sexual Abuse and Adult Mental Health Among Undergraduates Victim Gender Doesn't Matter

A large body of research has documented the harmful effects of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) on adult mental health among females, but less work has examined this issue among males. This study examined whether gender moderated the relationship between CSA and adult mental health among a mixed-gender sample of 406 undergraduates. A Pearson chi-square test indicated that a significantly greater proportion of females (41.6%) than males (30.7%) reported a history of CSA. ANCOVAs tested whether gender, CSA status, and their interaction were related to adult mental health symptomatology as measured by Brief Symptom Inventory gender-normed t scores. Participants with a history of CSA reported significantly higher levels of global mental health problems, hostility, paranoid ideation, and psychoticism. The gender by CSA status interaction was not significant for any scale, indicating that the harmful effects of CSA on adult mental health did not vary by gender.

Heterosexual Bias in the Perception of Loving Relationships of Gay Males and Lesbians

It was hypothesized that a heterosexual bias would emerge in the perception of loving relationships of gay males and lesbians. Specifically, it was predicted that if heterosexual subjects were presented with identical information about a hypothetical heterosexual couple, a lesbian couple, and a gay male couple, that the latter two would be perceived more negatively than the former. Heterosexual subjects (N = 360) were randomly assigned to one of 18 conditions defined by a 3 x 2 x 3 ANOVA design. The factors were: sex and sexual orientation of individuals in the hypothetical couple profile to be read and evaluated, sex of subject, and amount of love content in the description of the couple. The results confirmed the existence of a heterosexual bias and that gay and lesbian couples were perceived as being “less satisfied with their relationship” than heterosexual couples, and that gay and lesbian couples were perceived as “less in love” than heterosexual couples. The implications of these results are discus...

Adjustment following surgical implantation of a penile prosthesis: A critical overview

The literature on postsurgical adjustment and/or satisfaction of patients and/or their partners following implantation of a penile prosthesis is reviewed. Only those studies that have systematically assessed psychological variables independent of surgical or functional outcome are included. It is reported that while transitory emotional problems were not uncommon, 64-100% of the implant recipients reported being at least fairly satisfied. Similar levels of satisfaction were reported for their partners when they were interviewed together or when patients responded for their partners. However, lower levels were reported when partners were interviewed separately. Satisfaction was reported to be associated with several variables, and high-risk populations were identified. It is important to interpret these conclusions with extreme caution because of the many serious methodological weaknesses contained in these studies. These methodological problems in the literature are reviewed, and recommendations for future research are presented.

The psychosexual aspects of anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa: A review of the literature

Abstract Published studies dealing systematically with the psychosexual aspects of anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa are reviewed. While definitive answers to questions of the relationship between sexuality and the eating disorders are not apparent in the literature, several important trends emerge. On the basis of psychosexual data, there appear to be two discrete groups of anorexia neruosa patients. Several investigations report on significant differences between restricting and bulimic anorexics with respect to psychosexual history and/or sexual behaviors. There are also suggestions in the literature that bulimic patients may be more sexually active than control subjects. Finally, in spite of the continued appearance in the literature of case studies to the contrary, there is apparently no particularly high incidence of sexual abuse among anorexic or bulimic patients. Suggestions for future researchers in this area are offered.

Attitudes toward Alcohol and Drug Abuse. II. Experimental Data, Mass Media Research, and Methodological Considerations

This paper will report data concerning the relationship of attitudes and knowledge and will evaluate the effects of various drug and alcohol education programs. The effects of the mass media on drug- and alcohol-related attitudes will also be reviewed, as wll the various methodological problems encountered in the research to date.

Effects of administering sexually explicit questionnaires on anger, anxiety, and depression in sexually abused and nonabused females : Implications for risk assessment

Human sexuality researchers and institutional review boards often are concerned about the sensitive nature of the information that they obtain and whether this type of research increases the psychological risks to participants. To date, there are almost no empirical data that address this issue. We administered state and trait measures of anger, anxiety, and depression to 207 females who were administered four questionnaires that asked them to reveal highly sensitive, sexually explicit information, including questions regarding childhood sexual abuse. Then they were readministered the state and trait measures of distress. We found no significant differences, even among those who reported being sexually abused as children, suggesting that such studies do not significantly increase the risk of psychological harm to participants.