This research reviews the book Principles and Practice of Sex Therapy: Update for the 1990s. The book presents a series of 14 readings on current research findings and theory concerning the practice of sex therapy. Subject topics are divided into six overall categories. These categories are: (1) how AIDS has changed the perspectives of sex therapy; (2) dysfunctions of sexual desire such as hyperactive desire or sexual aversion; (3) female sexual disorders (e.g. dyspareunia or vaginismus); (4) male sexual disorders such as early or retarded ejaculation; (5) sexual issues with special populations such as lesbians, bisexuals, the sexually abused and older people; and (6) how to assess and treat atypical or dysfunctional sexual behavior.
Each category contains one to four articles, with each article being written by separate authors. For example, under the category of male sexual disorders, there are four separate articles discussing the topics of: cognitive-behavioral strategies used in the treatment of early ejaculation; the nature of retarded ejaculation and its treatment; erectile dysfunction; and psychogenic impotence. Categories vary in terms of the amount of material covered; however, each article runs about 30 to 45 pages.
The book, as a whole, has both strengths and weaknesses. One strength of the book is that it is extremely comprehensive, covering a wide range of material and practices related to sexual therapy.
For example, in the reading, "Sex Therapy with Aging Adults," the authors, Sandra R. Leiblum and R. Taylor Seagraves, discuss a wide scope of age-relevant sexual topics. These topics include myths about sexuality and aging, hormonal activity and metabolism in aging men and women and how this affects such diverse areas as older sexual response, the need of older people to engage in sexual activity, psychological factors that affect the sexual functioning of older people, and therapeutic strategies for ...