Psychological correlates of sexual self-esteem in young women with Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser syndrome (MRKHS) is a difference (disorder) of sex development that results from Müllerian duct aplasia in 46,XX females. The diagnosis of MRKHS is usually established in late adolescence. The purpose of the study was to assess the impact of congenital absence of uterus and vagina (CAUV) on a patient's psychosexual functioning. PARTICIPANTS AND PROCEDURE: Thirty-two women with MRKHS (mean age 22.9 years) and 32 matched healthy controls (mean age 24.75 years) completed three study questionnaires: the Sexual Self-Esteem Inventory for Women, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2). Statistical analysis was performed by IBM SPSS Statistics 22. RESULTS: There was no difference in global self-esteem between the two study groups. MRKHS females had lower sexual self-esteem and experienced higher intensity of some psychological functioning characteristics (paranoia, psychasthenia, schizophrenia) than their peers. Correlations between sexual self-esteem and results on depression, psychopathic deviate, schizophrenia, social introversion and anxiety scales were observed in patients with MRKHS. Global self-esteem and schizophrenia results were significant predictors of sexual self-esteem in the clinical group. Higher global self-esteem and lower results in the schizophrenia scale were associated with higher sexual self-esteem in patients with MRKHS. CONCLUSIONS: Psychological and medical counseling of women with MRKHS should address their impaired sexual self-esteem, especially sexual skills and experiences. While the number of diagnostic responses indicating the presence of specific symptoms in MRKHS females is statistically significantly different, the level of scores obtained does not exceed the threshold of clinical pathology.

Development of zoophilic interests and behaviors in the example of an adolescent male.

BACKGROUND: In the research literature the phenomenon of bestiality is considered as a form of animal abuse or as an expression of love and affection toward animals or even as another sexual orientation. PARTICIPANTS AND PROCEDURE: The article elucidates the mechanisms of development and maintenance of paraphilia in an 18-year-old single male. Psychological evaluation was conducted with both clinical and psychometric measures. The patient's course of psychosexual development is characterized by two perspectives - his own and that of his mother. RESULTS: At the time of the assessment, the subject's primary sexual outlet was masturbation and zoophilic sexual contact with sheep. The deviation developed over ten years prior to the exposure of the patient's zoophilic interests. The diagnostic process indicated that the subject suffers from significant psychopathology. Following the assessment, the patient was diagnosed with another disorder of sexual preference (F65.8) based on the ICD-10 criteria. The mechanisms of development and maintenance of his paraphilia are discussed with regard to other research. CONCLUSIONS: Patients who have sex with animals, or who fantasize about doing so, often struggle with negative reactions from their therapists (including a lack of knowledge, laughter, and pressure) when they decide to disclose their experiences. The article may be useful to clinicians who encounter this problem in their practice as an example of the functional capturing of this phenomenon.

Adaptation of the Body Image Self-Consciousness Scale (BISC-PL) in Polish females. / Adaptacja Skali Samoswiadomosci Obrazu Ciala (BISC-PL) wsród polskich kobiet.

OBJECTIVES: This paper presents the Polish version of the Body Image Self-Consciousness Scale (BISC-PL) originally developed by M.W. Wiederman. METHODS: Psychometric properties of the BISC-PLwere examined in a sample of 169 young women aged 18-35 (M = 22.24; SD = 3.61) who self-identified as heterosexual. Measures of sexual self-esteem, heterosexual experience, body satisfaction, self-monitoring and other variables were administered along with the BISC-PL for validity testing. RESULTS: Confirmatory factor analysis (with the use of WLSMV) proved the one-factor structure of the BISC-PL. Goodness of fit indices were: CFI =0.91; TLI =0.90; RMSEA=0.06; SRMR = 0.05. In most cases the tool confirmed its construct and discriminant validity with regard to the aforementioned variables. BISC-PLscores were predictive of sexual self-esteem and self-evaluation of oneself as a sexual partner, beyond effects due to body satisfaction and self-evaluated body attractiveness. The instrument was found to be a reliable (. = 0.96) and valid measure of body image self-consciousness during physical intimacy with a partner in studied women. CONCLUSIONS: Polish version of the BISC can be considered comparable to the original measure. The BISC-PLmay be recommended as a useful tool to complement Polish research and practise. Results are discussed with regard to limitations of the current research and implications for future studies.

Sexual activity of women with Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser syndrome (MRKHS)--preliminary study.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to assess sexual activity of women with Mayer-Pokitansky-K0ster-Hauser syndrome (MRKHS) in relation to age-matched con trots. The hypotheses on differences betwedn them in regard to various types of sexual activity and its characteristics were verified. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 31 patients with MRKHS and 31 healthy women were examined. Psychosexual biography by M. Beisert was used to gain information on autoerotic and dyadic behavior: Phi-coefficient and U Mann-Whitney test were performed. RESULTS: Women with the MRKHS started autoerotic be ha vior at a similar age (U=58, 00; ns), practiced masturbation with the same frequency (in adolescence--U=350,00; ns and adulthood--U=137.50; ns) and manifested a similar level of sexual arousal (U=326,50; ns) as the age-matched controls. They declared experiencing vaginal (Phi=0.507; p<0.001) and oral (Phi=0.318; p<0.05) intercourse less frequently than healthy women. They also initiated dyadic sexual activity at a higher age than the controls (petting U=182,00; p<0.01; req=0.41; vaginal intercourse (U=64.00; 0<0.001; req = 0.59; oral contact (U=91.50; p<0.05; req=0.56) with exception of anal intercourse, where the age of initiation was the same in both groups (U=30,50; ns). Women in both groups experienced similar orgasm frequency during petting (U=108.50; ns), oral intercourse (U=97.50; ns), anal Tntercourse (U=25.50; ns). However, patients with the MPKHS reported significantly lower frequency of orgasm during vaginal intercourse (U=60.50; p<0.05; req=0.36). CONCLUSIONS: Sexual development of patients with the MRKHS and healthy women is partly similar Differences in dyadic sexual activity are not limited to vaginal intercourse thus are probably determined by biological conditions and their psychological implications.