Avoidance of Circumcision during the Phallic Stage: Myth or Reality?

Abstract

Objective: Circumcision is a practice that is commonly implemented across the globe for reasons pertaining to medical necessity, social attitudes, and religious beliefs. This procedure, when performed on young boys, results in the infliction of harm upon the penis, thereby giving rise to the development of castration anxiety. Castration anxiety can be defined as an overwhelming fear of damaging or losing the penis during the phallic period, which, according to Sigmund Freud’s theory of psychosexual development, occurs between the ages of 3 and 6 years. The present study aims to compare social and sexual measures in later life between individuals who underwent circumcision during and beyond the phallic period. Patients and Methods: Men who had previously undergone circumcision were included in the study. The participants completed a series of questionnaires designed to assess various aspects of their health and well-being. These included the International Index of Erectile Function, the male genital self-image scale, and the gender role attitudes scale. Results: A total of 216 male participants who had previously undergone circumcision were included in the study. A notable absence of substantial variance was evident in the domains of sexual functionality, perception of the genital region, and gender roles, among subjects who underwent circumcision during and following the phallic period. Conclusions: The results of the study refute the hypothesis that circumcision should not be performed during the phallic period, and thus contradict the position of psychiatrists that this procedure should not be carried out during this stage due to the anxiety it would cause.