A Review of Autofellatio: A Psychological Study of Two New Cases

Autofellatio, defined by Hinsie and Shatzky (4) as the placing of the male genital organ in one's own mouth, is one of the rare types of sexual perversions. The anatomical difficulties inherent in the act are obviously a limiting factor in its practice. Kinsey et al. (7) estimate that only two or three males out of a thousand are able to achieve this objective. He further states that, “A considerable portion of the population does record attempts at self-fellation, at least in early adolescence… there are three or four histories of males who had depended upon self-fellation as a masturbatory technique for some appreciable period of time.” References to the perversion in psychiatric and psychological literature are indeed meagre. A survey of this literature brought forth but three case reports referring to this particular phenomenon involving, in toto, three individuals. Nunberg (9) notes the practice of autofellatio in one of his patients, but does not deal specifically with the perversion in his article. Recently, two cases involving autofellatio have come to the attention of the authors. Both of these patients were given complete psychological test batteries coupled with extensive interviews. Analysis of the test data, the interview material, and the previously-reported case material has made it possible to present certain psychodynamic postulations concerning the perversion.

Bragman (2) first reported a case of autofellatio in 1927. The patient was a 33-year-old, depressed, apprehensive man. He was remorseful concerning his practice of autofellatio but stressed his inability to control these impulses. His history revealed a very early acquaintance with perverse sexual practices. His interest in autofellatio began while watching circus contortionists perform. He would perform the act on the average of once a month. As an adult, he also engaged in fellatio with numerous men and boys. Heterosexual relationships proved unsatisfactory to him. He married at