Sexual histories, attitudes, and behavior of schizophrenic and "normal" women

Data on sexual history and current sexual functioning were collected from 20 schizophrenic women and 15 normal volunteers. Schizophrenic women, compared to normal volunteers, reported a higher incidence of sexual abuse premorbidly, particularly during childhood, as well as after the onset of frank psychotic symptomatology. Patients also learned about sexual interaction and began menstruating earlier and had more negative feelings toward menstruating. In addition, psychosexual dysfunctions were markedly more common among the schizophrenic women, both pre- and postmorbidly. Compared to only 13.4% of the normal women, 60% of the schizophrenic women had never experienced orgasm. Patients did not believe that sexual activity worsened their illness, and only 20% of the patients thought their illness had adversely affected their sexual behavior.