Klinefelter's syndrome and psychopathology: a case study of the combined effects of nature and nurture.

A patient with Klinefelter's syndrome and genotype 47 XXY was abused and ostracized by his family during childhood. Later, this pattern was repeated by a series of homosexual lovers. The separate and interactive effects between genetic and psychosocial risk factors may account for this patient's subsequent psychosexual and personality disorders and reminds scholars of psychopathology of the importance of early detection and intervention. This single case study is presented for heuristic value, illustrative purposes, and serves as a link between mental health clinicians and sexologists.