Skip to main content
Log in

Psychophysiological aspects of sexual dysfunction

  • Published:
Archives of Sexual Behavior Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The argument is made that human sexual dysfunction is particularly well suited for investigation within the conceptual framework embraced by psychophysiology, due to the unique participation of both physiological and psychological components in the sexual response cycle. The literature relating psychophysiological research to the investigation of sexual dysfunction is reviewed, indicating promising applications in the diagnosis and treatment of some sexual dysfunctions as well as in the evaluation of sex therapy programs and the testing of medical theories about the etiology and maintenance of sexual dysfunctions.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abel, G. G., Barlow, D. H., Blanchard, E. B., and Guild, D. (1980). The components of rapists' sexual arousal.Arch. Gen. Psychiat. (in pres).

  • Abel, G. G., Murphy, W. O., Beeker, J. V., and Bitar, A. (1979). Women's vaginal responses during REM sleep.J. Sex Marital Ther. 5: 5–14.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Abelson, D. (1975). Diagnostic value of the penile pulse and blood pressure: A Doppler study of impotence in diabetcs.J. Urol. 113: 636–639.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Anonymous (1970). Effects of sexual activity on beard growth in man.Nature 226: 869–870.

  • Bancroft, J. (1971). The application of psychophysiological measures to the assessment and modification of sexual behavior.Behav. Res. Ther. 9: 119–130.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bancroft, J. (1974).Deviant Sexual Behavior: Modification and Assessment Clarendon Press, Oxford.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barlow, D. H., Agras, W. S., Abel, G. G., Blanchard, E. B., and Young, L. D. (1975). Biofeedback and reinforcement to increase heterosexual arousal in homosexuals.Behav. Res. Ther. 13: 45–50.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Barlow, D. H., Becker, R., Leitenberg, H., and Agras, W. S. (1970). A mechanical strain gauge for recording penile circumference change.J. App. Behav. Anal. 3: 73–76.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bohlen, J. G., and Held, J. P. (1979). An anal probe for monitoring vascular and muscular events during sexual response.Psychophysiology 16: 318–323.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brener, J. (1977). Visceral percetpion. In Beatty, J., and Legewie, H. (eds.),Biofeedback and Behavior Plenum, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Briddell, D. W., and Wilson, G. T. (1976). Effects of alcohol and expectancy set on male sexual arousal.J. Abnormal Psychol. 85: 225–234.

    Google Scholar 

  • Britt, D. B., Kemmerer, W. T., and Robison, J. R. (1971). Penile blood flow determination by mercury strain gauge plethysmography.Invest. Urol. 8: 673–678.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Carney, A., Bancroft, J., and Mathews, A. (1978). Combination of hormonal and psychological treatment for female sexual unresponsiveness: A comparative study.Br. J. Psychiat. 132: 339–346.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cerny, J. A. (1978). Biofeedback and the voluntary control of sexual arousal in women.Behav. Ther. 9: 847–855.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cohen, H. D., and Shapiro, A. (1970). Vaginal blood flow during sleep (abstract).Psychophysiology 7: 338.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cooper, A. J. (1971). Treatments of male potency disorders: The present status.Psychosomatics 12: 235–244.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cooper, A. J., Ismail, A. A. A., Smith, C. G., and Loraine, J. A. (1970). Androgen function in “psychogenic” and “constitutional” types of impotence.Br. Med. J. 3: 17–20.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Csillag, E. R. (1976). Modification of penile erectile response.J. Behav. The. Exp. Psychiat. 7: 27–29.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ellenberg, M. (1971). Impotence in diabetes: The neurologic factor.Ann. Int. Med. 75: 213–219.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Farkas, G. M., and Rosen, R. C. (1976). Effect of alcohol on elicited male sexual response.J. Studies Alcohol. 37: 265–272.

    Google Scholar 

  • Farkas, G. M., Sine, L. F., and Evans, I. M. (1979). The effects of distraction, performance demand, stimulus explicitness and personality on objective and subjective measures of male sexual arousal.Behav. Res. Ther. 17: 25–32.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fisher, C., Kahn, E., Edwards, A., and Davis, D. (1972). Total suppression of REM sleep with the MAO inhibitor Nardil in a subject with painful nocturnal REMP erection.Psychophysiology 9: 91.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fisher, C., Schiavi, R. C., Edwards, A., Davis, D. M., Reitman, M., and Fine, J. (1979). Evaluation of nocturnal penile tumescence in the differential diagnosis of sexual impotence.Arch. Gen. Psychiat. 36: 431–437.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fisher, C., Schiavi, R., Lear, H., Edwards, A., Davis, D. M., and Witkin, A. P. (1975). The assessment of nocturnal REM erection in the differential diagnosis of sexual impotence.J. Sex Marital Ther. 1: 277–289.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fitzpatrick, T. J. (1975). The corpus cavernosum intercommunicating venous drainage system.J. Urol. 113: 494–496.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fitzpatrick, T. J., and Cooper, J. F. (1975). A cavernosogram study on the valvular competence of the human deep dorsal vein.J. Urol. 113: 497–499.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fox, C. A., Ismail, A. A. A., Love, D. N., Kirkham, K. E., and Loraine, J. A. (1972). Studies on the relationship between plasma testosterone levels and human sexual activity.J. Endocrinol. 52: 51–58.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Freund, K. (1976). Assessment of anomalous erotic preferences in situational impotence.J. Sex Marital Ther. 2: 173–183.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Furlow, W. L. (1976). Surgical management of impotence using the inflatable penile prosthesis (experience with 36 patients.)Mayo Clin. Proc. 51: 325–328.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Geer, J. H. (1976). Genital measures: Comments on their role in understanding human sexuality.J. Sex Marital Ther. 2: 165–172.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Geer, J. H. (1979). Biofeedback and the modification of sexual dysfunction. In Gatchel, R. J., and Price, K. P. (eds.),Clinical Applications of Biofeedback: Appraisal and Status Pergamon, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Geer, J. H., and Fuhr, R. (1976). Cognitive factors in sexual arousal: The role of distraction.J. Consult. Clin. Psychol. 44: 238–243.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Geer, J. H., Morokoff, P., and Greenwood, P. (1974). Sexual arousal in women: The development of a measurement device for vaginal blood volume.Arch. Sex. Behav. 3: 559–564.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gillan, P., and Brindley, G. S. (1979). Vaginal and pelvic floor responses to sexual stimulation.Psychophysiology 16: 471–481.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hatch, J. P. (1979). Vaginal photoplethysmography: Methodological considerations.Arch. Sex. Behav. 8: 357–374.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hatch, J. P. (1981). Voluntary control of sexual responding in men and women: Implications for the etiology and treatment of sexual dysfunctions.Biofeedback Self-Regulation (in press).

  • Hatch, J. P., Heiman, J. R., and Hahn, P. (1979). A photoplethysmographic device for measuring changes in penile blood volume pulse during sexual arousal in humans. Presented at the meeting of the Society for Psychophysiological Research, Cincinnati, Ohio.

  • Heiman, J. R. (1976). Issues in the use of psychophysiology to assess female sexual dysfunction.J. Sex Marital Ther. 2: 197–204.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Heiman, J. R. (1977). A psychophysiological exploration of sexual arousal patterns in females and males.Psychophysiology 14: 266–274.

    Google Scholar 

  • Heiman, J. R. (1978). Uses of psychophysiology in the assessment and treatment of sexual dysfunction. In LoPiccolo, J., and LoPiccolo, L. (eds.),Handbook of Sex Therapy Plenum, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Heiman, J. R., and Morokoff, P. (1977). Female sexual arousal and experience as correlates of sexual malaise. Paper given at the meeting of the American Psychological Association, San Francisco.

  • Henson, D. E., and Rubin, H. B. (1971). Voluntary control of eroticism.J. Appl. Behav. Anal. 4: 37–43.

    Google Scholar 

  • Henson, D. E., Rubin, H. B., and Henson, C. (1978). Consistency of labial temperature change measure of human female eroticism.Behav. Res. Ther. 16: 125–129.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Herman, S. H., and Prewett, M. (1974). An experimental analysis of feedback to increase sexual arousal in a case of homo- and heterosexual impotence: A preliminary report.J. Behav. Ther. Exp. Psychiat. 5: 271–274.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hoon, P. W., Wincze, J. P., and Hoon, E. F. (1977). The effects of biofeedback and cognitive mediation upon vaginal blood volume.Behav. Ther. 8: 694–702.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kaplan, H. S. (1974).The New Sex Therapy Brunner/Mazel, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Karacan, I. (1970). Clinical value of nocturnal erection in the prognosis and diagnosis of impotence.Med. Aspects Hum. Sex. April: 27–34.

    Google Scholar 

  • Karacan, I. (1978). Advances in the psychophysiological evaluation of male erectile impotence. In LoPiccolo, J., and LoPiccolo, L. (eds.),Handbook of Sex Therapy Plenum, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Karacan, I., Rosenbloom, A. L., and Williams, R. L. (1970). The clitoral erection cycle during sleep (abstract).Psychophysiology 7: 338.

    Google Scholar 

  • Karacan, I., Salis, P. J., and Williams, R. L. (1978). the role of the sleep laboratory in diagnosis and treatment of impotence. In Williams, R. L., and Karacan, I. (eds.),Sleep Disorders: Diagnosis and Treatment Wiley, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Karacan, I., Scott, F. B., Salis, P. J., Attia, S. L., Ware, J. C., Altinel, A., and Williams, R. L. (1977). Nocturnal erections, differential diagnosis of impotence, and diabetes.Bio. Psychiat. 12: 373–380.

    Google Scholar 

  • Karacan, I., Williams, R. L., Thornby, J. I., and Salis, P. J. (1975). Sleep-related penile tumescence as a function of age.Am. J. Psychiat. 132: 932–937.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kline-Graber, G., and Graber, B. (1978). Diagnosis and treatment procedures of pubococcygeal deficiencies in women. In LoPiccolo, J., and LoPiccolo, L. (eds.),Handbook of Sex Therapy Plenum, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kockott, G. (1978). Symptomatology, psychological and physiological aspects of premature ejaculation, diabetogenic, and psychogenic erectile impotence. Paper delivered at the Third International Congress of Medical Sexology, Rome.

  • Kolarsky, A., Madlafousek, J., and Novotna, V. (1978). Stimuli eliciting sexual arousal in males who offend adult women: An experimental studyArch. Sex. Behav. 7: 79–87.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kreuz, L. E., Rose, R. M., and Jennings, J. R. (1972). Suppression of plasma testosterone levels and psychological stress.Arch. Gen. Psychiat. 26: 479–482.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • LaFerla, J. J., Anderson, D. L., and Schalch, D. S. (1978). Psychoendocrine response to sexual arousal in human males.Psychosom. Med. 40: 166–172.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lang, P. J., Rice, D. G., and Sternbach, R. A. (1972). The psychophysiology of emotion. In Greenfield, N. S., and Sternbach, R. A. (eds.),Handbook of Psychophysiology Holt, Rinehart and Winston, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Laws, D. R., and Holmen, M. L. (1977). Sexual response faking by pedophiles. Paper given at First Annual Conference on the Evaluation and Treatment of Sexual Aggressives, Memphis, Tennessee.

  • Laws, D. R., and Pawlowski, A. V. (1973). A multi-purpose biofeedback device for penile plethysmography.J. Behav. Ther. Exp. Psychiat. 4: 339–341.

    Google Scholar 

  • Laws, D. R., and Rubin, H. B. (1969). Instructional control of an autonomic sexual response.J. Appl. Behav. Anal. 2: 93–99.

    Google Scholar 

  • Levin, R. J., and Wagner, G. (1978). Haemodynamic changes of the human vagina during sexual arousal assessed by a heated oxygen electrode.J. Physiol. 275: 23–24P.

    Google Scholar 

  • LoPiccolo, J., and Steger, J. C. (1974). The sexual interaction inventory: A new instrument for assessment of sexual dysfunction.Arch. Sex. Behav. 3: 585–595.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Masters, W. H., and Johnson, V. E. (1966).Human Sexual Response Little, Brown, Boston.

    Google Scholar 

  • Masters, W. H., and Johnson, V. E. (1970).Human Sexual Inadequacy Little, Brown, Boston.

    Google Scholar 

  • Miller, N. E. (1975). Applications of learning and biofeedback to psychiatry and medicine. In Freedman, A. M., Kaplan, H. I., and Sadock, B. J. (ed.),Comprehensive Textbook of Psychiatry II Williams & Wilkins, Baltimore.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pearman, R. O. (1972). Insertion of a silastic penile prosthesis for the treatment of organic sexual impotence.J. Urol. 107: 802–806.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pirke, K. M., Kockott, G., and Dittmar, F. (1974). Psychosexual stimulation and plasma testosterone in man.Arch. Sex. Behav. 3: 577–584.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Price, K. P. (1973). Feedback effects on penile tumescence. Paper given at the meeting of the Eastern Psychological Association, Washington, D. C.

  • Quinn, J. T., Harbisan, J. J., and McAllister, H. (1970). An attempt to shape human penile responses.Behav. Res. Ther. 8: 213–216.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rose, R. M. (1972). The psychological effects of androgens and estrogens—A review. In Shader, R. I. (ed.),Psychiatric Complications of Medical Drugs Raven Press, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rosen, R. C. (1973). Suppression of penile tumescence by instrumental conditioning.Psychosom. Med. 35: 509–514.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rosen, R. C. (1976). Genital blood flow measurement: Feedback applications in sexual therapy.J. Sex Marital Ther. 2: 184–196.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rosen, R. C., and Keefe, F. J. (1978). The measurement of human penile tumescence.Psychophysiology 15: 366–376.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rosen, R., and Kopel, S. A. (1977). Penile plethysmography and biofeedback in the treatment of a transvestite-exhibitionist.J. Consult. Clin. Psychol. 45: 908–916.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rosen, R. C., Shapiro, D., and Schwartz, G. (1975). Voluntary control of penile tumescence.Psychosom. Med. 37: 479–483.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Schaefer, H. H., and Colgan, A. H. (1977). The effect of pornography on penile tumescence as a function of reinforcement and novelty.Behav. Ther. 8: 938–946.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schuster, K. (1976). Small-Carrion penile prothesis.Mayo Clin. Proc. 51: 336–338.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Shapiro, D., and Schwartz, G. E. (1972). Biofeedback and visceral learning: Clinical applciations.Semin. Psychiat. 4: 171–184.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sintchack, G., and Geer, J. H. (1975). A vaginal photoplethysmograph system.Psychophysiology 12: 113–115.

    Google Scholar 

  • Speiss, W. F. J. (1977). The psycho-physiology of premature ejaculation: Some factors related to ejaculatory latency. Doctoral dissertation, State University of New York at Stony Brook.

  • Tordjman, G. (1977). Male erectile impotence. In Gemme, R., and Wheeler, C. C. (eds.),Progress in Sexology Plenum, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilson, G. T., and Lawson, D. M. (1976). Effects of alcohol an sexual arousal in women.J. Abnormal Psychol. 85: 489–497.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilson, G. T., and Lawson, D. M. (1978). Expectancies, alcohol, and sexual arousal in women.J. Abnormal Psychol. 87: 358–367.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wincze, J. P., Hoon, E. F., and Hoon, P. W. (1976). A comparison of the physiological responsibity of normal and sexually dysfunctional women during exposure to erotic stimulus.J. Psychosom. Res. 20: 44–50.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wincze, J. P., Hoon, E. F., and Hoon, P. W. (1978). Multiple measure analysis of women experiencing low sexual arousal.Behav. Res. Ther. 16: 43–49.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Zingheim, P. K., and Sandman, C. A. (1978). Discriminative control of the vaginal vasomotor response.Biofeedback Self-Regulation 3: 29–41.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zuckerman, M. (1971). Physiological measures of sexual arousal in the human.Psychol. Bull. 75: 297–329.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Additional information

The preparation of this article was supported in part by NIMH Grant 5 T32 MH 14621-03 to Richard Green.

I thank Julia R. Heiman for her thoughtful review of an earlier version of this manuscript.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Hatch, J.P. Psychophysiological aspects of sexual dysfunction. Arch Sex Behav 10, 49–64 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01542674

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01542674

Key words

Navigation