Disputing the notion of psychopathology
Reid, R. C., Carpenter, B. C., & Draper, E. D. (2010). Disputing the Notion of Psychopathology Among Women Married to Hypersexual Men Using the MMPI-2-RF. Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy, 37(1), 45-55.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/0092623X.2011.533585

Study type: Quantitative analysis of two self-reporting scales.

Sample size: Sample consisted of two groups. A test group of 49 participants, and a control group of 44 participants.

Demographics: All participants in the test group were female, married and recruited from a mental health clinic in the Midwest. Age range 20-52 years (M = 33.5, SD = 9.1). 
All participants in the control group were female and married (40 married, 3 remarried, 1 separated). Age range 19-60 years (M = 28.4, SD = 10.1). Predominately Caucasian (1 Hispanic, 1 Asian). Recruited from evening classes at a nearby university.

Key findings & quotes: 
  • Study compared psychopathology and marital distress levels between wives of hypersexual men and wives of a control group. 
  • Wives of hypersexual men experienced more marital distress than wives in the control group.
  • Wives of hypersexual men experienced lower levels of positive emotionality than wives in the control group.
  • Other than lower levels of positive emotionality, wives of hypersexual men did not show any symptoms of psychopathology when compared to the control group.
  • “What this suggests is that hypersexual behavior is consistently being associated with serious and negative effects on the marital relationship and creating levels of personal distress, which clinicians should address when working with this population.”


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