NCJ Number
57102
Journal
American Journal of Psychiatry Volume: 133 Issue: 6 Dated: (JUNE 1976) Pages: 662-668
Date Published
1976
Length
8 pages
Annotation
CASE STUDIES OF SEVEN FEMALE JUVENILES WITH HISTORIES OF HYPERSEXUAL BEHAVIOR ASSOCIATED WITH DELINQUENCY, AGGRESSION, AND HYPOMANIA (LOW-INTENSITY MANIA) ARE PRESENTED.
Abstract
THE SUBJECTS HAD BEEN REFERRED BY A NORTHERN NEW JERSEY JUVENILE COURT FOR PSYCHIATRIC ASSESSMENT. ALL WERE OF ABOVE-AVERAGE INTELLIGENCE AND WERE HIGHLY ACTIVE SEXUALLY. THEIR AGE AT MENARCHE WAS UNSUALLY YOUNG, MOST WERE HIRSUTE (UNSUALLY HAIRY), FOUR HAD LOW VOICES, AND MOST TENDED TOWARD A MESOMORPHIC (MUSCULAR) BUILD. THERE WAS A HIGH INCIDENCE OF RUNNING AWAY AND SERIOUS SUICIDE ATTEMPTS AMONG THE SUBJECTS. SEVERAL WERE QUITE AGGRESSIVE AND ASSAULTIVE, AND STEALING WAS COMMON. SIGNS OF HYPOMANIC IDEATION, HIGH ENERGY LEVELS, RAPID AND 'OVER-INCLUSIVE' SPEECH, AND LABILE MOOD SWINGS WERE ALSO CHARACTERISTIC. THE MOTHERS OF FOUR OF THE SUBJECTS HAD RECEIVED HORMONES DURING PREGNANCY TO PREVENT MISCARRIAGE. TWO OF THE REMAINING THREE SUBJECTS HAD HISTORIES OF EXCESSIVE LEVELS OF ADRENAL HORMONES, ONE ENDOGENOUS (NATURAL) AND ONE EXOGENOUS (ADMINISTERED). THE CASE STUDIES SUGGEST THAT EXPOSURE TO POTENTIALLY VIRILIZING HORMONES IN UTERO OR LATER IN CHILDHOOD CAN RESULT IN HYPERSEXUALITY, HYPOMANIA, HIGH INTELLIGENCE, AND AGGRESSIVENESS. THESE SUBJECTS WERE DELINQUENT BY DEFAULT AND AS A CONSEQUENCE OF THEIR HYPERSEXUALITY. PSYCHOTHERAPY AND PROBATION WERE SOMEWHAT EFFECTIVE IN REDUCING THEIR DELINQUENT BEHAVIOR, BUT LESS SO IN REDUCING THEIR HYPERSEXUAL ACTIVITY. PSYCHIATRISTS SHOULD BE ON THE ALERT FOR MEN AND WOMEN BORN IN THE 1950'S AND 1960'S WHOSE EXPOSURE TO FEMINIZING OR VIRILIZING AGENTS MAY BE THE SOURCE OF BEHAVIORAL PROBLEMS. A LIST OF REFERENCES IS INCLUDED. (LKM)