Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

Sexual Aversion and the DSM-5: An Excluded Disorder with Unabated Relevance as a Trans-diagnostic Symptom

  • Commentary on DSM-5
  • Published:
Archives of Sexual Behavior Aims and scope Submit manuscript

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.

References

  • American Psychiatric Association. (1987). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (3rd ed., rev.). Washington, DC: Author.

  • American Psychiatric Association. (1994). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (4th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.

    Google Scholar 

  • American Psychiatric Association. (2000). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (4th ed., text rev.). Washington, DC: Author.

  • American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Arlington, VA: Author.

    Google Scholar 

  • Badour, C. L., Feldner, M. T., Babson, K. A., Blumenthal, H., & Dutton, C. E. (2013). Disgust, mental contamination, and posttraumatic stress: Unique relations following sexual versus non-sexual assault. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 27, 155–162.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bakker, F., & Vanwezenbeek, I. (2006). Seksuele gezondheid in Nederland 2006 [RNG-studies nr. 9]. Delft: Eburon.

    Google Scholar 

  • Borg, C., & de Jong, P. J. (2012). Feelings of disgust and disgust-induced avoidance weaken following induced sexual arousal in women. PLoS One, 7, e44111. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0044111.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Borg, C., de Jong, P. J., & Weijmar-Schultz, W. (2010). Vaginismus and dyspareunia: The role of automatic vs. deliberate disgust responsivity. Journal of Sexual Medicine, 7, 2149–2157.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Borg, C., de Jong, P. J., & Weijmar-Schultz, W. (2011). Vaginismus and dyspareunia: Relationship with general and sex-related moral standards. Journal of Sexual Medicine, 8, 223–231.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Borg, C., Georgiadis, R. J., Renken, R. J., Spoelstra, K., Weijmar Schultz, W., & de Jong, P. J. (2014). Brain processing of sexual penetration versus core and animal-reminder disgust pictures in women with genito-pelvic pain/penetration disorders. PLoS One, 9, e84882. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0084882.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Brotto, L. A. (2010). The DSM diagnostic criteria for Sexual Aversion Disorder. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 39, 271–277.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Carnes, P. J. (1998). The case for sexual anorexia: An interim report on 144 patients with sexual disorders. Sexual Addiction & Compulsivity, 5, 293–309.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Coughtrey, A. E., Shafran, R., Lee, M., & Rachman, S. (2013). The treatment of mental contamination: A case series. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 20, 221–231.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Crenshaw, T. L. (1985). The sexual aversion syndrome. Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy, 11, 285–292.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • de Jong, P. J. (2011). Seks en walging? Tijdschrift voor Seksuologie, 35, 4–14.

    Google Scholar 

  • de Jong, P. J., & Borg, C. (in press). Self-directed disgust: Reciprocal relationships with sex and sexual dysfunction. In P. A. Powell, P. G. Overton, & J. Simpson (Eds.), The revolting self: Perspectives on the psychological and clinical implications of self-directed disgust. London: Karnac Books.

  • de Jong, P. J., & Keijsers, G. P. J. (2011). Protocollaire behandeling van patienten met een specifieke fobie: kortdurende exposure in vivo. In G. P. J. Keijsers, A. van Minnen, & C. A. L. Hoogduin (Eds.), Protocollaire behandelingen voor volwassenen met psychische stoornissen (pp. 111–143). Amsterdam: Boom.

    Google Scholar 

  • de Jong, P. J., & Muris, P. (2002). Spider phobia: Interaction of disgust and perceived likelihood of involuntary physical contact. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 16, 51–65.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • de Jong, P. J., van Lankveld, J., & Elgersma, H. J. (2010). Refractory cases in the treatment of sexual problems associated with low sexual arousal. In D. McKay, J. Abramowitz, & S. Taylor (Eds.), Cognitive-behavioral therapy for refractory cases: Turning failure into success (pp. 255–275). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • de Jong, P. J., van Overveld, M., & Borg, C. (2013). Giving into arousal or staying stuck in disgust: Disgust-based mechanisms in sex and sexual dysfunction. Annual Review of Sex Research, 50, 247–262.

    Google Scholar 

  • de Jongh, A. (2006). Angst voor de tandarts. Assen: van Gorcum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Elgersma, H. J. (1998). Geen zin meer in walgelijke seks. Verslag van een behandeling volgens gedragstherapeutische principes van een vrouw met klachten van seksuele aversie stoornis en seksuele stoornis met verminderd verlangen. Ongepubliceerde N = 1 studie in het kader van de opleiding tot gedragstherapeut.

  • Finch, S. (2001). Sexual aversion disorder treated with behavioural desensitization [Letter to the Editor]. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 46, 563–564.

    Google Scholar 

  • Janata, J. W., & Kingsberg, S. A. (2005). Sexual aversion disorder. In R. Balon & R. T. Segraves (Eds.), Handbook of sexual dysfunction (pp. 43–65). Boca Raton: Taylor and Francis Group.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kaplan, H. S. (1987). Sexual aversion, sexual phobias, and panic disorder. New York: Brunner-Mazel.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kedde, H. (2012). Seksuele disfuncties in Nederland: Prevalentie en samenhangende factoren. Tijdschrift voor Seksuologie, 36, 98–108.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kedde, H., & de Haas, S. (2006). Problemen met het seksueel functioneren. In F. Bakker & I. Vanwezenbeek (Eds.), Seksuele gezondheid in Nederland 2006: RNG-studies nr 9 (pp. 123–138). Delft: Eburon.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kedde, H., Donker, G., Leusink, P., & Kruijer, H. (2011). The incidence of sexual dysfunction in patients attending Dutch general practitioners. International Journal of Sexual Health, 23, 269–277.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mason, E. C., & Richardson, R. (2012). Treating disgust in anxiety disorders. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 19, 180–194.

    Google Scholar 

  • Olatunji, B. O., & McKay, D. (2007). Disgust and psychiatric illness: Have we remembered? British Journal of Psychiatry, 190, 457–459.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Olatunji, B. O., & McKay, D. (2009). Disgust and its disorders: Theory, assessment, and treatment. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Ribner, D. S. (2010). A brief treatment approach for sexual aversions in a young, single Haredi (ultra-orthodox) Jewish female. Sexual and Relationship Therapy, 25, 160–165.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rosen, R., Brown, C., Heiman, J., Leiblum, S., Meston, C., Shabsigh, R., et al. (2000). The Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI): A multidimensional self-report instrument for the assessment of female sexual function. Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy, 26, 191–208.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Schover, L. R., & LoPiccolo, J. (1982). Treatment effectiveness for dysfunctions of sexual desire. Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy, 8, 179–197.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Stevenson, R. J., Case, T. I., & Oaten, M. (2011). Effect of self-reported sexual arousal on responses to sex-related and non-sex-related disgust cues. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 40, 79–85.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • van Overveld, M., de Jong, P. J., Peters, M. L., van Hout, W. J. P. J., & Bouman, T. K. (2008). An internet-based study on the relation between disgust sensitivity and emetophobia. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 22, 524–531.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • van Overveld, M., de Jong, P. J., Peters, M., van Lankveld, J., Melles, R., & ter Kuile, M. M. (2013). The Sexual Disgust Questionnaire: A psychometric study and a first exploration in patients with sexual dysfunctions. Journal of Sexual Medicine, 10, 396–407.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Vroege, J. A. (1994). Vragenlijst voor het signaleren van seksuele dysfuncties (VSD) (5de versie). Utrecht: Academisch Ziekenhuis Utrecht, Afdeling Medische seksuologie/Nederlands Instituut voor Sociaal Sexuologisch Onderzoek.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vroege, J. A. (2002). LOPS-registratie 2000. Utrecht: Landelijk Overleg van Poliklinieken Seksuologie/Rutgers Nisso Groep.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Irv Binik for triggering the idea of writing this commentary, for proofreading, and for commenting on an earlier version of it.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Charmaine Borg.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Borg, C., de Jong, P.J. & Elgersma, H. Sexual Aversion and the DSM-5: An Excluded Disorder with Unabated Relevance as a Trans-diagnostic Symptom. Arch Sex Behav 43, 1219–1223 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-014-0341-z

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-014-0341-z

Keywords

Navigation