Which of the following statements is true of exhibitionistic disorder?

• A. It involves recurrent and intense sexual arousal from exposing one's genitals to an unsuspecting person.
• B. It is characterized by persistent thoughts of harming oneself.
• C. It is defined by excessive preoccupation with cleanliness and order.
• D. It primarily involves compulsive stealing of items.

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the definition of exhibitionistic disorder. It is a paraphilic disorder characterized by recurrent and intense sexual arousal from exposing one's genitals to an unsuspecting person.
2. Step 2: Review the other options and identify their associated disorders: persistent thoughts of harming oneself relate to self-harm or certain mood disorders; excessive preoccupation with cleanliness and order is characteristic of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD); compulsive stealing is related to kleptomania.
3. Step 3: Compare each option to the known definition of exhibitionistic disorder to determine which statement accurately describes it.
4. Step 4: Recognize that the correct statement is the one describing sexual arousal from exposing genitals to an unsuspecting person, as this matches the clinical criteria for exhibitionistic disorder.
5. Step 5: Conclude that the other options describe different psychological conditions and are therefore not true of exhibitionistic disorder.