Understanding the Personality and Behavioral Mechanisms Defining Hypersexuality in Men Who Have Sex with Men

Abstract

Objective The purpose of this study was to investigate personality factors and behavioral mechanisms that are relevant to hypersexuality in men who have sex with men. Method A sample of 242 men who have sex with men were recruited from various sites in a moderate size mid-western city. Participants were assigned to hypersexuality or control group using a SCID-type interview. Self-report inventories were administered that measured the broad band personality constructs of positive emotionality, negative emotionality and constraint, and more narrow constructs related to sexual behavioral control, behavioral activation, behavioral inhibition, sexual excitation, sexual inhibition, impulsivity, ADHD, and sexual behavior. Hierarchical logistic regression was used to determine the relationship between these personality and behavioral variables and group membership. Results A hierarchical logistic regression, controlling for age, revealed a significant positive relationship between hypersexuality and negative emotionality and a negative relationship with constraint. None of the behavioral mechanism variables entered this equation. However, a hierarchical multiple regression predicting sexual behavioral control indicated that lack of such control was positively related to sexual excitation and sexual inhibition due to the threat of performance failure and negatively related to sexual inhibition due to the threat of performance consequences and general behavioral inhibition Conclusions Hypersexuality was found to be related to two broad personality factors that are characterized by emotional reactivity, risk-taking, and impulsivity. The associated lack of sexual behavior control is influenced by both sexual excitatory and inhibitory mechanisms, but not general behavioral activation and inhibitory mechanisms.

Revisiting the Role of Impulsivity and Compulsivity in Problematic Sexual Behaviors

“…In the case of hypersexuality, research has shown that impulsivity is weakly or moderately associated with hypersexual behaviors, fantasies, and urges (Pachankis et al, 2014;Reid et al, 2014;Walton et al, 2017). However, comparisons of hypersexual and nonhypersexual individuals have not shown consistent results (Miner et al, 2016;Mulhauser et al, 2014). The results of the present study corroborate the findings of Pachankis et al (2014) and Reid et al (2014) because the associations between impulsivity and hypersexuality are positive and moderate, suggesting that impulsivity may contribute importantly to the development and maintenance of hypersexuality.…”

“…However, when hypersexual and nonhypersexual males were compared regarding their level of impulsivity, only a trend toward significance was found in relation to impulsivity (Mulhauser et al, 2014). In another study comparing impulsivity between hypersexual gay men and nonhypersexual gay men (Miner et al, 2016), only one significant difference was observed. Hypersexual gay men showed elevated levels of nonplanning impulsivity compared to non-hypersexual gay men.…”

“…There were no significant differences between the two groups in their levels of attentional and motor impulsivity. The aforementioned findings suggest that hypersexuality is related to generalized impulsivity and that hypersexual males are not a homogenous group regarding impulsivity levels (Miner et al, 2016;Mulhauser et al, 2014). However, the findings suggest that impulsivity importantly relates to hypersexuality (Pachankis et al, 2014;Reid et al, 2014;Walton et al, 2017).…”

“…However, little research has focused on the relationship BŐTHE, TÓTH-KIRÁLY, POTENZA, GRIFFITHS, OROSZ, AND DEMETROVICS between impulsivity and problematic pornography use. On the other hand, data suggest that impulsivity relates to hypersexuality, with other personality-related measures also showing relationships (Miner et al, 2016;Mulhauser et al, 2014;Pachankis et al, 2014;Reid et al, 2014;Walton et al, 2017).…”

Inhibit My Disinhibition: The Role of the Inferior Frontal Cortex in Sexual Inhibition and the Modulatory Influence of Sexual Excitation Proneness

“…Higher levels of sexual excitation have repeatedly been observed in individuals with out-of-control sexual behaviour (Bancroft and Vukadinovic, 2004 ; Janssen and Bancroft, 2007 ; Winters et al, 2010 ; Rettenberger et al, 2016 ). On the other hand, sexual inhibition has shown to be weakly or not related to hypersexual behaviours (Miner et al, 2016 ; Rettenberger et al, 2016 ), but has shown to be lower in individuals who engage more in risky sexual practices (Bancroft et al, 2009 ).…”