INTRODUCTION: Chronic diseases and mental disorders frequently cause disorders and failures within sexual life. In spite of that, relatively little attention has been paid to the sexual sphere of patients' lives. The aim of this study was to address the question in what ways the sexual functioning sphere is different for patients with disorders classified as other anxiety disorders (F41) and acute stress reaction and adjustment disorders (F43) in comparison with the control group.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study involved the Multidimensional Sexuality Questionnaire, The Affective and Motivational Orientation Related to Erotic Arousal Questionnaire, a survey concerning sexuality and an extended demographics section. The sample comprised 33 people (25 females and 8 males) who were treated in an outpatient clinic. Among the subjects, 18 people were diagnosed with F41 and 15 were diagnosed with F43.

RESULTS: Subjects in the research group scored lower in internal control over one's sexuality and sexual satisfaction than did participants in the control group. The research group scored higher in fear of sex and fear of sexual relationships. People with anxiety disorders revealed a lower overall motivation for becoming involved in sexual activity. Participants from the research group also demonstrated a lower assessment of their sexual lives, a higher desired sexual life frequency and a higher discrepancy between their current and desired sexual activities' frequency. A negative correlation was also observed between treatment duration and procreation as a motive for becoming involved in sexual activity.

CONCLUSIONS: It is essential to examine the sphere of sexual functioning in psychiatric patients as well as to encourage and educate the medical personnel towards increasing their openness to and awareness of the issues linked with patients' sexuality.