Sexuality And Sexual Response In Adulthood

Timetable

Module aim (aims)

The course addresses various facets of sexual function in adult people. It aims to present sexual conduct as an essential part of a whole and healthy life and its anchoring in broader human sexuality and non-sexual spheres of life.

Students will learn about the range of sexual response models and their bio-psycho-social context, problems that people from different populations may experience, diagnostic categories of sexual dysfunctions, and strategies for addressing sexual function concerns. The course combines conceptual models with the latest research findings, highlighting new directions in human sexuality.

Participation in the course will contribute to developing confidence when dealing with sexuality in general and communicating on the subject.

Pre-requisites in terms of knowledge, skills and social competences (where relevant)

Competence in discussion and work in groups.

English language comprehension sufficient to read literature on the subject in this language.

Knowledge of basic psychological concepts, e.g., personality, ICD, DSM.

Syllabus

Week 1: Sexual development and behavior in adulthood

Week 2: The purpose of sex

Week 3: Human sexual response and its models

Week 4: Physiology and phenomenology of sexual experiencing

Week 5: Personality and individual differences in sexual response

Week 6: Sexual response in a relational context

Week 7: Cultural diversity in human sexual response

Week 8: Sexual dysfunctions - developments in diagnosis and classification

Week 9: Sexual distress and sexual pleasure

Week 10: Psychological treatment of sexual dysfunctions

Week 11: Current developments in sex therapy

Week 12: Sexual repercussions of child sexual abuse

Week 13: Sexual dysfunction in aging adults

Week 14: Sexual dysfunction in lesbian, gay, and bisexual clients

Week 15: Sexual dysfunction in transgender clients

Reading list

Bancroft, J. (2009). Human Sexuality and Its Problems (3rd ed.). Elsevier Limited.

Binik, Y.M., & Hall, K.S.K. (Eds.). (2020). Principles and Practice of Sex Therapy 6th ed. Guilford Press.

Blonna, R., Levitan, J., E. (2004). Healthy Sexuality.California: Brooks Cole.

Dewitte, M., Van Lankveld, J., Vandenberghe, S., & Loeys, T. (2015). Sex in Its Daily Relational Context. The journal of sexual medicine, 12(12), 2436–2450. https://doi.org/10.1111/jsm.13050

Hill, C. A. (2008). Human sexuality: Personality and social psychological perspectives. Sage Publications, Inc.

Kleinplatz, P. J. (Ed.). (2012). New directions in sex therapy: Innovations and alternatives (2nd ed.). Routledge/Taylor & Francis Group.

Peterson, Z.D. (Ed.). (2017).The Wiley Handbook of Sex Therapy. Wiley-Blackwell.

Prekatsounaki, S., Gijs, L., & Enzlin, P. (2022). Dyadic Sexual Desire in Romantic Relationships: The Dyadic Interactions Affecting Dyadic Sexual Desire Model. Archives of sexual behavior, 51(1), 417–440. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-021-02165-8

Stephenson, K. R., & Meston, C. M. (2010). Differentiating components of sexual well-being in women: are sexual satisfaction and sexual distress independent constructs?. The journal of sexual medicine, 7(7), 2458–2468. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1743-6109.2010.01836.x

Wylie, K. (2020). "Update on Sexual Dysfunction" WAS Conversations - Session 4: The Sexual Health Chapter in the ICD-11https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rr3dFKq7qJU

World Association for Sexual Health (WAS). (2021). Declaration of sexual pleasure. https://worldsexualhealth.net/resources/declaration-on-sexual-pleasure/