Assessment, psychosexual profiling, and treatment of exhibitionists

Demographic and psychosexual profiles of seventy-two male exposers who presented for assessment and/or treatment at a mid-western university sexual health clinic were investigated. Associated diagnoses and treatment variables were measured. Against the stereotype of exposers as men who expose to women, 12% reported exposing to men as well. Subjects' Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory scores were collated, showing exposers to have higher levels of psychopathology and sexual/gender nonconformity than other men. Indications of thought disorder and depression were also found. Mean Tennessee Self-Concept Scale scores depicted exposers as less integrated and more internally conflicted. On the Derogatis Sexual Functioning Inventory, exposers reported average sexual satisfaction but a greater number of sexually related symptoms and poorer affect. On these scales, differences were identified between single and married exposers, between court referrals and volunteers, and between those with single and multiple diagnoses. A psycho-socio-sexual construct underlying exposing behavior is proposed, with the possibility of sub-categories.