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Kang, Kang, Han, and Roh: Marital and Sexual Satisfaction among Patients with Schizophrenia
Original Article
Journal of Korean Neuropsychiatric Association

Journal of Korean Neuropsychiatric Association 2012; 51(5): 263-270.

Published online: 30 September 2012

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4306/jknpa.2012.51.5.263

Marital and Sexual Satisfaction among Patients with Schizophrenia

Taewoong Kang, MD1, Gwonyoung Kang, MD2, Hye Ree Han, MS3, Sungwon Roh, MD, PhD3

1Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National Hospital, Seoul, Korea.

2Department of Psychiatry, Hanyang University Hospital, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.

3Department of Mental Health Research, Seoul National Hospital, Seoul, Korea.

Address for correspondence: Sungwon Roh, MD, PhD. Department of Mental Health Research, Seoul National Hospital, 398 Neungdong-ro, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul 143-711, Korea. Tel +82-2-2204-0292, Fax +82-2-2204-0280, swroh@korea.kr

Received 10 April 2012       Revised 17 May 2012       Accepted 29 May 2012

Copyright © 2012 Korean Neuropsychiatric Association

Abstract

Objectives

The objectives of this study are to assess marital and sexual satisfaction among patients with schizophrenia compared to the general population and to evaluate the factors that may affect these levels.

Methods

Marital and sexual satisfaction of 66 married schizophrenic patients and 162 married normal controls were assessed with Enriching and Nurturing Relationship Issues, Communication and Happiness and Derogatis Sexual Function Inventory. We compared the differences in marital and sexual satisfaction and influential variables between these two groups through analysis of covariance with adjustment for age and the duration of marriage. Factors associated with marital and sexual satisfaction were identified with multiple regression analysis.

Results

Patients with schizophrenia showed lower satisfaction with their marriage (p=0.018) and sexual lives (p<0.001) compared to the controls. Marital satisfaction of schizophrenics was influenced by violence from spouse, whereas their sexual satisfaction was affected by age, violence from spouse, conversation frequency after sexual relations, and revealing psychiatric history to spouse before marriage. There was a significant relationship between marital and sexual satisfaction in both groups.

Conclusion

Patients with schizophrenia may have marital and sexual problems which can be caused directly or indirectly by symptoms and course of the disease. These results suggest that evaluation and appropriate intervention in the marriage and sexual lives of schizophrenics is necessary and important.

Keywords: Schizophrenia, Marriage, Marital satisfaction, Sex

Figures and Tables

Table 1
Demographic and clinical characteristics of schizophrenia patients and normal control subjects
jkna-51-263-i001

* : p-value obtained in the comparison between schizophrenia patients and normal controls using the Student's t-test, † : p-value obtained in the comparison between schizophrenia patients and normal controls using the chi-square (χ2) test. SD : Standard deviation

Table 2
Comparisons of variables associated with marital and sexual satisfaction between schizophrenia patients and control subjects
jkna-51-263-i002

* : p-value obtained in the comparison between schizophrenia patients and normal controls using the chi-square (χ2) test

Table 3
Comparisons in total score of ENRICH and DSFI between schizophrenia patients and control subjects
jkna-51-263-i003

* : p-value obtained in the comparison between sc-hizophrenia patients and normal controls using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) with adjustment for age and marriage duration. ENRICH : Enriching and Nurturing Relationship Issues, Communication and Happiness Inventory, DSFI : Derogatis Sexual Function Inventory, SD : Standard deviation

Table 4
Results on impact of marital satisfaction (ENRICH) according to variables in schizophrenia patients and control subjects
jkna-51-263-i004

* : p-value obtained using stepwise multiple regression analysis. β : Standardized regression coefficient, SE : Standard error

Table 5
Results on impact of sexual satisfaction (DSFI) according to variables in schizophrenia patients and control subjects
jkna-51-263-i005

* : p-value obtained using stepwise multiple regression analysis. β : Standardized regression coefficient, SE : Standard error

Notes

The authors have no financial conflicts of interest.

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