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SUMMARY : Anxiety and depression are commonly considered as the major causes of psychogenic sexual dysfunction. The aim of the present study has been to measure these factors by means of standardised psychometric instruments.

295 male patients (June 1992 and December 1994), were divided into three groups: Gr. 1: Reduced Sexual Desire (RSD) n3D45, 24-65 yr.; Gr. 2: Secondary Erectile Dysfunction (SED) n3D182, 29-71 yr.; Gr. 3: Primary Premature Ejaculation (PPE) n3D68, 20-53 yrs. Psychometric instruments, such as BDHI, Inventory for Assessing Different Kinds of Hostility, SAD (Self evaluation Scale for Depression) and SCL 90 (Sympthomathic Check List) were used. Results.

1-SAD: DP, AS and IN showed considerable discriminating power (p<0.001) and the first discriminating function differentiates the RSD group from the others.

2-SCL 90: The variables, which contribute mostly to the differentiation are DEP and ANX (both p<0.01) and the first discriminating function especially characterised the RSD group. 3-BDHI: a-the groups of patients showed values of a total score, that were close to the average for the normal population (50) and no significant differences were present among the three groups; b-the profiles of BDHI of the three groups were not detached from the pattern of the standard group, even if a poor increase in factors RES and SUS was evident.

The present study confirms that anxiety and depression show to be the most important factors associated to sexual dysfunction, either as a cause of or in response to sexual dysfunction: 1- depression is prevailing in the group RSD - 51 in 295 cases (17.3%) - and PPE (20.5%). 2 - anxiety represents 7.1% (21 in 295 cases) mostly in the group of SED (2/3 of cases, i.e. 7.7%).