Paper Title
From Atypical Sexual Interests to Paraphilic Disorders: The Planned ICD Revisions Related to Paraphilic Disorder
Keywords
- Pathologization
- De-pathologization
- Sexual Interests
- Paraphilia
- Paraphilic Disorder
- Diagnostic Manuals
- Social Context
- Kinsey
- Sexual Behavior
- Atypical Sexual Interests
- Internet
- Social Changes
- Normative Attitudes
- Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
- DSM-5
- Distress
- Impairment
- Harm
- Non-pathologic Sexual Interests
- Harmful Behavior
- Sexual Diversity
- Sexual Interest Categorization
Article Type
Research Article
Journal
Research Impact Tools
Publication Info
Volume: 15 | Issue: 6 | Pages: 807–808
Published On
June, 2018
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Abstract
The tension between pathologization and de-pathologization of sexual interests and behaviors has always been based in part on changing social conditions. Since Alfred F. Kinsey's publications in 1948 and 19531,2 reporting on the diversity of sexual behavior in the American population, empirical research on sexual behavior has shown that “unusual” or “atypical” sexual interests are far more common than previously thought.3–5 In addition, the internet has resulted in a dramatic increase in the instant availability of typical and atypical sexual content.6 This is only 1 example of important social changes that in turn had an effect on normative attitudes and behavior and on what can be considered a paraphilia or a paraphilic disorder. Increasingly, atypical sexual interests are not pathologized. The description and inclusion of mental disorders in diagnostic manuals occurs in a social context and to an extent reflects the mores and attitudes of the time. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition7 attempted to accommodate the trend toward de-pathologization of atypical sexual interests and behavior by distinguishing between a paraphilia (“any intense and persistent sexual interest other than sexual interest in genital stimulation or preparatory fondling with phenotypically normal, physically mature, consenting human partners”) and a paraphilic disorder (in which a paraphilia causes distress or impairment to the individual or whose satisfaction entails personal, harm, or risk of harm, to others)5 [pp 685–686]. This model used the characteristics of distress, impairment, and harm to differentiate non-pathologic patterns of sexual interest from pathologic patterns.
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