RESUMO
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.
RESUMO
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.
