Motivational Response To Sexual Stimuli In Those With Problems Self Regulating Viewing Of Sexual Materials

One hundred forty-two individuals were screened for levels of problematic sexual behaviors with fifty-five participants meeting inclusion criteria (e.g., view sexual stimuli, indicate negative consequences from viewing) in order to test competing theories of problematic sexual behaviors. These behaviors have been associated with a number of mostly negative consequences (i.e., disease, interpersonal relationship dysfunction, and emotional distress). Most extant literature on problematic sexual behaviors concerns controversy about naming a syndrome, whereas empirical investigation into the appropriateness of proposed labels is lacking. Compulsivity, impulsivity, and addiction (dependence) are commonly discussed characterizations of these behaviors. These behaviors could also be characteristic of a higher sexual drive without associated pathology. To test competing predictions made by sexual addiction as compared to higher sexual drive models, this study recorded neurophysiological (EEG) motivation states while viewing sexual film. Participants reported their sexual and emotional response after each film. Frontal alpha asymmetry (FAA-EEG) indexes state motivation level (Prause, Staley, & Roberts, 2012) and was designed to assess the relationships between problematic sexual behaviors and neurological motivation while viewing a sexual stimulus. According to a sexual addiction model that includes 0́−stimulus tolerance0́+ as a component, individuals with more problematic sexual behaviors should exhibit lesser levels of sexual arousal and motivation while viewing the sexual film, whereas a higher sexual drive model would predict higher levels of sexual arousal and motivation. Surprisingly, the anticipated FAA-EEG index of sexual motivation did not emerge in this sample prohibiting a direct test of the competing models. This may have occurred given the mixed affective response (i.e., sexual arousal and negative affect) to the sexual film. Other indicators of sexual risk behaviors including number of sexual partners and time spent viewing erotica were related to alpha power, however, the relationship was not specific solely to the sexual film. Interestingly, individuals with more problematic sexual behaviors experienced higher levels of distress (e.g., disgusted, guilty, embarrassed, dirty) while viewing the sexual film, consistent with a sexual compulsivity model.