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The history of 'female sexual dysfunction' as a mental disorder in the 20th century

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Angel, Katherine. (2010) The history of 'female sexual dysfunction' as a mental disorder in the 20th century. Current Opinion in Psychiatry, Vol.23 (No.6). pp. 536-541. ISSN 0951-7367

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/YCO.0b013e32833db7a1

Abstract

Purpose of review

To provide an overview of conceptualizations of female sexual problems, and 'Female Sexual Dysfunction' in particular, throughout the 20th century, especially in relation to psychiatry and mental illness.

Recent findings

In the past 15 years, there has been an increase in both medical and public discourse about 'Female Sexual Dysfunction'. I discuss a variety of literature sources dealing with female sexual problems, where these are understood variously as problems of developmental psychopathology, as technical phenomena to be resolved through education, or as medical problems to be addressed pharmaceutically.

Summary

The stigma of mental illness shapes much recent discussion of female sexual problems, as does the legacy of the postwar critique of psychodynamic psychiatry.

Item Type:

Journal Article

Subjects:

R Medicine > RC Internal medicine > RC0321 Neuroscience. Biological psychiatry. Neuropsychiatry

Divisions:

Faculty of Arts > History > Centre for the History of Medicine
Faculty of Arts > History

Journal or Publication Title:

Current Opinion in Psychiatry

Publisher:

Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins

ISSN:

0951-7367