Experiences relating to intimacy, romance, and sexuality in early psychosis.

Purpose: Many individuals experiencing early psychosis identify intimacy, romance, and sexuality as components of their subjective recovery, yet can face illness-related barriers in forming and maintaining close relationships. As limited research has examined these barriers in depth, the present study explored specific differences across aspects of intimacy, romance, and sexuality between individuals with and without psychotic disorders.

Methods: Participants with early psychosis (N = 35) and community controls (N = 38) completed questionnaires relating to clinical symptoms, social integration (e.g., loneliness, belongingness), and sexual and romantic functioning, dissatisfaction, and related difficulties.

Results: Individuals with early psychosis reported significantly more loneliness, attachment anxiety and avoidance, sexual dissatisfaction, sexual anxiety, and hypersexuality than control participants, as well as significantly lower belongingness, romantic relationship functioning, sexual self-esteem, and sexual optimism. Among individuals currently in a romantic relationship, groups did not differ in relationship satisfaction or investment. Groups also did not differ in sexual distress among individuals who had had sex within the past month. Finally, there were no group differences in sexual self-efficacy, preoccupation, self-blame, motivation, or self-schemata.

Conclusion: These findings contribute to a sparse literature base regarding intimate, romantic, and sexual aspects of social functioning in psychosis. Future research should continue to explore the relationships between aspects of intimate, romantic, and sexual functioning and other facets of illness and recovery in early psychosis.