Sexual compulsion – Relationship with sex, attachment and sexual orientation

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Sexual addiction, also known as hypersexual disorder, is associated with serious psychosocial problems for many people. METHODS This study used questionnaires to investigate the effects of gender, sexual orientation and attachment (avoidance and anxiety) on sexual compulsion among 100 heterosexual and homosexual men and women. RESULTS A positive correlation was found between anxious attachment and sexual compulsivity (r =0.46; p < 0.01) and a positive correlation between avoidant attachment and sexual compulsivity (r = 0.39; p £ 0.01) in all participants. Secondly, an analysis of covariance showed a gender by sexual orientation interaction effect [F(1,103) = 6.39, p < 0.01] but no attachment effect on sexual compulsivity. A follow-up comparison showed that lesbian women had higher rates of sexual compulsivity than heterosexual women [t(2, 50) = 5.08, p < 0.001] whereas there was non-significant difference in sexual compulsivity between homosexual and heterosexual men [t(2, 50) = 1.30,p = N.S.]. DISCUSSION The results provide preliminary evidence for an association between attachment and sexual compulsivity and the effects of gender and sexual orientation on sexual compulsivity.