Social and psychological factors in the distribution of STD in male clinic attenders. II Personality disorders, psychiatric illness, and abnormal sexual attitudes.

Using standardised questionnaires we examined the possible contributions of psychiatric illness, delinquent and other abnormal personality traits, and disturbed attitudes to sex to the risk of sexually transmitted disease (STD) infection in men attending an STD clinic. We found certain differences in personality and in attitudes between the clinic sample and control men. These differences, however, a) were not comparable with those found in groups of clinically abnormal subjects, b) were confined to homosexual and bisexual men, and c), with the possible exception of gonorrhoea, were not related to risk of STD infection.