Define Sex
A set of biological attributes, primarily associated with physical and psychological features including sex chromosomes, gene expression, hormone levels and function, and reproductive/sexual anatomy
Usually categorized as male or female, but there is variation in biological attributes
What is gender
Gender = socially constructed roles, behaviors, expressions and identities. It influences how people perceive themselves and each other
Define - Gender Identitiy
Gender identity: sense of self as a women/girl, man/boy, both, neither
Define - Gender expression
Gender expression: How a person publicly communicates their gender identity through behavior, appearance, chosen name, pronouns
Define -Gender Roles
Gender Roles: characteristics that a culture associates with femininity, masculinity, both, neither
What is gender/sex
Gender/sex refers to a mix of gender and sex (socialization and sex) when neither are meant to be solely evoked
What does lower sexual functioning affect?
- Intimate relationships
- Quality of life
- Mood
- Distress
- Associations with sexual trauma
Define - Sexual Response
Sexual Response: an emotional state triggered by interna/external sexual cues:
- Physiological: pattern of physiological response distinct from global ANS activation; genital vasocongestion/engorgement
- Emotions: positive, negative, and ambivalent effect
- Cognition: attention to sexual cues; activation of sexual memory; perception and appraisal of sexual response; anticipation of sexual rewards
What are some of the key components of Toates’ Incentive motivation model?
- excitatory stimuli
- implicit/explicit cognitive affective processing
- desire
- arousal
What are some components of the circular sexual response cycle?
- ***Rosemary Basson
- notes that there are non sexual reasons for sex
- non-sexual rewards - emotional intimacy well being, lack of negative effects from sexual avoidance
- multiple reasons/incentives for instigating or agreeing to sex
- willingness to find/be receptive
Describe some factors that affect LGBTQ+ mental health
- minority stress model
- stigma, prejudice, and discrimination create a hostile and stressful social environment that causes mental health problems
= increased exposure to traumatic and stressful events
= expectations and vigilance for stressful events
= internalization of negative social attitudes
= fear of persecutions
What is gender dysphoria
Gender dysphoria
- birth-assigned sex and gender does not reflect a person’s gender identity
- person experiences distress
“Treatment” for gender dysphoira
- Focus on counseling and support client
- Goal is to counsel on ways to resolve gender dysphoria
- Hormone therapies and affirming medical procedure are associated with positive outcomes
What is Reparative therapy?
Reparative therapy = therapy that focuses on accepting birth-assigned sex and gender
***horrible
__________ _________ are disruptive to ___ _______ _______ _______
__sexual___ ___dysfunctions___ are disruptive to __the_ ___sexual____ ____response ___ ___cycle____
What is the 3Ps
The 3 Ps model is for sexual dysfunctions
- predisposing factors
- precipitating factors
- perpetuating factors
Describe - Predisposing Factors - of the 3Ps
Predisposing Factors
- early sexual experiences
- lack of education about sexuality and sexual health
- childhood SA
- Parental environmental/influence
- Health related behaviors like smoking
- History of sexual violence
Describe - Precipitating/Associated Factors - of the 3Ps
- relationship distress
- major life changes like parenthood
- peri/menopause
- surgery or physical illness
- medications like SSRIs
- sexual violence
- mental disorder
Describe - Perpetuating Factors - of the 3Ps
Perpetuating factors
- lack of knowledge/myths
- Negative attitudes
- performance anxiety
- cognitive interference/distraction
psychological distress
- lifestyle factors
- poor communication
- relationship distress
- feminist perspectives: heteronormative sexual scripts
What are the symptoms of - Sexual Interest/Arousal Disorder
Need 3/6 for 6+ months
1. Absent/reduced sexual interest
2. Absent/reduced sexual thoughts
3. No/reduced sexual initiation
4. Absent/reduced sexual excitement/pleasure
5. Absent/reduced sexual response
6. Absent/reduced sexual sensations
what increases sexual concordance
mindfulness
How is Mindfulness based cognitive therapy used for Sexual
- Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for sexual interest/arousal disorder
- Mindfulness-based skills target sexual connection to the body
- STEP (sex education and therapy) addresses knowledge gaps and offers support
- Improvements in sexual desire reduction in sexual distress for both
- Examined changes in sexual concordance as a function of treatment (MBCT vs STEP) … MBCT was more effective
What drugs are used to treat arousal/desire difficulties
PDE-5 inhibitors
- increase genital vasocongestion in cisgender women, but don’t affect subjective experience of arousal
How was the ‘expectancy effect’ said
Viagra in women … same affect as placebo
thus was more important that they thought they took the drug = “expectancy effect
