Hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) is a prevalent and disabling condition for women and their partners. Clinical and empirical investigation into this disorder is still in developmental stages, and many questions about its etiology and treatment remain. Present understanding of HSDD leads to a holistic, biopsychosocial approach to this complex disorder. Emerging treatment views focus on multidisciplinary therapies that often integrate medical and psychosocial modalities.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
American Psychiatric Association
. (2000). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (4th ed., text revision). Washington, DC: Author.
2.
Bancroft, J.
(1999). Sexual science in the 21st century: Where are we going? A personal note. Journal of Sex Research, 36(3), 226-229.
3.
Bartlik, B. D.
, & Kaplan, P. M. (1999). Testosterone treatment for women. Harvard Mental Health Letter, 16(6), 4-7.
4.
Basson, R.
, Berman, J., Burnett, A., Derogatis, L., Ferguson, D., Fourcroy, J., et al. (2000). Report of the international consensus development conference on female sexual dysfunction: Definitions and classifications. Journal of Urology, 163, 888-893.
5.
Beck, J. G.
(1995). Hypoactive sexual desire disorder: An overview. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 63(6), 919-927.
6.
Berman, J. R.
, Berman, L., & Goldstein, I. (1999). Female sexual dysfunction: Incidence, pathophysiology, evaluation, and treatment options. Urology, 3, 385-391.
7.
Berman, L. A.
, & Berman, J. R. (2000). Viagra and beyond: Where sex educators and therapists fit in from a multidisciplinary perspective. Journal of Sex Education and Therapy, 25(1), 17-24.
8.
Butcher, J.
(1999). ABC of sexual health: Female sexual problems I: Loss of desire—What about the fun?British Medical Journal, 318(7175), 41-43.
9.
Everaerd, W.
, & Both, S. (2000). Memories of you: On women’s sexual desire. Sexual and Relationship Therapy, 15(4), 321-324.
10.
Fleming, M. P.
, & Paice, J. A. (2001). Sexuality and chronic pain. Journal of Sex Education and Therapy, 26(3), 204-214.
11.
Friedrich, M. J.
(2000). Can male hormones really help women?Journal of the American Medical Association, 283, 2643-2644.
12.
Gitlin, M. J.
(1995). Effects of depression and antidepressants on sexual functioning. Bulletin of the Menninger Clinic, 59(2), 232-248.
13.
Hurlbert, D. F.
(1993). A comparative study using orgasm consistency training in the treatment of women reporting hypoactive sexual desire. Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy, 19(1), 41-55.
14.
Hurlbert, D. F.
, & Apt, C. (1994). Female sexual desire, response, and behavior. Behavior Modification, 18(4), 488-504.
15.
Hurlbert, D. F.
, Apt, C., Hurlbert, M. K., & Pierce, A. P. (2000). Sexual compatibility and the sexual desire-motivation relation in females with hypoactive sexual desire disorder. Behavior Modification, 24(3), 325-347.
16.
Kaplan, H. S.
(1996). Erotic obsession: Relationship to hypoactive sexual desire disorder and paraphilia. American Journal of Psychiatry, 153, 30-41.
17.
Katz, R. C.
, & Jardine, D. (1999). The relationship between worry, sexual aversion, and low sexual desire. Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy, 24, 293-296.
18.
Key, S. W.
, Denoon, D. J., & Boyles, S. (1998). Many HIV positive women have untreated sexual disorder. AIDS Weekly Plus, pp. 10-11.
19.
Kring, B.
(2000). Psychotherapy of sexual dysfunction. American Journal of Psychotherapy, 54(1), 97-101.
20.
O’Carroll, R.
(1991). Sexual desire disorders: A review of controlled treatment studies. Journal of Sex Research, 28(4), 607-624.
21.
Phillips, N. A.
(2000). Female sexual dysfunction: Evaluation and treatment. American Family Physician, 62(1), 127-137.
22.
Pridal, C. G.
, & LoPiccolo, J. (2000). Multielemental treatment of desire disorders: Integration of cognitive, behavioral, and systemic therapy. In S. R. Leiblum & R. C. Rosen (Eds.), Principles and practice of sex therapy (3rd ed., pp. 57-81). New York: Guilford.
23.
Read, J.
(1995). Female sexual dysfunction. Internal Review of Psychiatry, 7(2), 175-182.
24.
Renshaw, D. C.
(1995). Sexless marriages and sex therapy: The many factors in sexual avoidance. In R. C. Rosen & S. R. Leiblum (Eds.), Case studies in sex therapy (pp. 176-189). New York: Guilford.
25.
Sarrel, P. M.
(1998). Psychosexual effects of menopause: Role of androgens. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 80(3s-II), 319s-324s.
26.
Segraves, R. T.
, Croft, H., Kavoussi, R., Ascher, J. A., Batey, S. R., Foster, V. J., et al. (2001). Bupropion sustained release (SR) for the treatment of hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) in nondepressed women. Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy, 27, 303-316.
27.
Tiefer, L.
(2001). A new view of women’s sexual problems. Why new? Why now?Journal of Sex Research, 38(2), 89-97.
28.
Trudel, G.
, Marchand, A., Ravart, M., Aubin, S., Turgeon, L., & Fortier, P. (2001). The effect of a cognitive-behavioral group treatment program on hypoactive sexual desire in women. Sexual and Relationship Therapy, 16(2), 145-164.
29.
Warnock, J. K.
, Bundren, J. C., & Morris, D. W. (1999). Female hypoactive sexual disorder: Case studies of physiologic androgen replacement. Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy, 25, 175-182.
