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Week 7: Controversy Associated with Personality and Paraphilic Disorders
College of Nursing-PMHNP,
NRNP 6675: PMHNP Care Across the Lifespan
II
January 17, 2022
, 2
Controversy Associated with Personality and Paraphilic Disorders
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), characterizes
paraphilic disorders as people who feel personal distress about their interest that is not entirely
resulting from society’s disapproval; or have sexual desire or behavior that involves another
person’s psychological distress, injury, or death, or a desire for sexual behaviors involving
nonconsenting persons or involve persons that are unable to consent legally (American
Psychiatric Association, n.d.). The following will explain the controversy that surrounds
paraphilic disorders (PD), explain my professional belief and the strategies to maintain a
therapeutic relationship with patients presenting with the disorder, and explain ethical and legal
considerations related to the disorder.
Controversy Surrounding Paraphilic Disorders
The term paraphilia comes from the Greek words (para) “beside” and (philia)
“love/friendship”. According to the latest edition of the DSM, a paraphilic sexual interest is any
intense and persistent (6 months or more) sexual fantasies, urges or behaviors not “normophilic”
(i.e., “normal”) (American Psychiatric Association, n.d.). A normophilic sexual interest refers to
genital stimulation or preparatory fondling with phenotypically normal, physically mature,
consenting human partner (Joyal, 2018). There are eight descriptions of paraphilias; fetishism,
exhibitionism, voyeurism, frotteurism, masochism, sexual sadism, transvestism, and pedophilia.
In order to diagnose an individual with paraphilic disorder (i.e., a mental disorder), the person
interest must generate a “clinically significant” distress or impairment or if they were acted-out
with non-consenting others (Joyal, 2018).
Week 7: Controversy Associated with Personality and Paraphilic Disorders
College of Nursing-PMHNP,
NRNP 6675: PMHNP Care Across the Lifespan
II
January 17, 2022
, 2
Controversy Associated with Personality and Paraphilic Disorders
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), characterizes
paraphilic disorders as people who feel personal distress about their interest that is not entirely
resulting from society’s disapproval; or have sexual desire or behavior that involves another
person’s psychological distress, injury, or death, or a desire for sexual behaviors involving
nonconsenting persons or involve persons that are unable to consent legally (American
Psychiatric Association, n.d.). The following will explain the controversy that surrounds
paraphilic disorders (PD), explain my professional belief and the strategies to maintain a
therapeutic relationship with patients presenting with the disorder, and explain ethical and legal
considerations related to the disorder.
Controversy Surrounding Paraphilic Disorders
The term paraphilia comes from the Greek words (para) “beside” and (philia)
“love/friendship”. According to the latest edition of the DSM, a paraphilic sexual interest is any
intense and persistent (6 months or more) sexual fantasies, urges or behaviors not “normophilic”
(i.e., “normal”) (American Psychiatric Association, n.d.). A normophilic sexual interest refers to
genital stimulation or preparatory fondling with phenotypically normal, physically mature,
consenting human partner (Joyal, 2018). There are eight descriptions of paraphilias; fetishism,
exhibitionism, voyeurism, frotteurism, masochism, sexual sadism, transvestism, and pedophilia.
In order to diagnose an individual with paraphilic disorder (i.e., a mental disorder), the person
interest must generate a “clinically significant” distress or impairment or if they were acted-out
with non-consenting others (Joyal, 2018).
