BACKGROUND: Sexual self-perception is just one of the items of the complex system of self, which has rarely been researched in the population of mental health patients. OBJECTIVE: Our goal was to establish whether the differences in sexual self-perception exist between schizophrenic and depressive patients compared with the healthy control group. PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS: This research was performed on 100 schizophrenic patients, 100 depressive patients and 100 phenotypically healthy volunteers. In order to diagnose schizophrenia and depression, DSM-IV classification was used. Bezinovic's questionnaire for sexual self-perception was used in order to assess seven aspects of sexual self-perception. RESULTS: Results revealed that schizophrenic and depressive patients, compared with healthy individuals, scored significantly higher on the aspects of negative emotionality and sexual incompetence, and significantly lower on the aspect of sexual satisfaction. No statistically significant differences were established between schizophrenic and depressive patients. CONCLUSION: We can conclude that patients suffering from schizophrenia or depression differ from healthy individuals in all of the aspects of sexual self-perception.
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