Psychological Studies of Adult Male Patients with Sexual Infantilism Before and After Androgen Therapy

Abstract

Eight adult males with gonadal insufficiency were studied psychologically prior to, and during 24-48 months of androgen replacement therapy. All had a mild to marked degree of personality maladjustment and had a noteworthy lack of sexual interest. With hormonal replacement only one patient showed psychosocial maturation concomitant with the development of secondary sex characteristics. Emotional problems, which the patients were ill-equipped to handle, contributed to the discontinuation of androgen therapy in 4 individuals. The 3 patients continued to show psychological limitations which were at least in part a result of prolonged prepubescence. A discussion is offered as to the role of androgens in normal psychosexual development at the time of adolescence and as to the emotional crippling that results if puberty is markedly delayed because of hormonal insufficiency.