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Biomedical subjects

B W McCarthy

Publications and source records attributed to B W McCarthy.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1997

Strategies and techniques for revitalizing a nonsexual marriage.

If one adopts an arbitrary criterion of being sexual less than 10 times a year, approximately 20% of married couples have a nonsexual relationship. This is a major mental health problem that poses a threat to marital satisfaction and viability. The strategy in confronting a nonsexual marriage is to treat it as a couple issue. The prescription for change is to take personal responsibility for sexuality, rebuild intimacy, reintroduce nondemand pleasuring, and add erotic stimulation.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy↗
PubMed1997

Therapeutic and iatrogenic interventions with adults who were sexually abused as children.

The field of sexual victimization and trauma has generated incompatible paradigms that confuse conceptualization, assessment, and treatment for adult survivors of child sexual abuse. It is crucial to be aware of potential iatrogenic concepts and interventions, especially those involving litigation, obscessing about past trauma, self-esteem as a victim, quest for external validation, identification with the victim movement, exploration of repressed memories as a goal in itself, and focus on the past at the expense of being a survivor in the present. Core therapeutic concepts are accepting oneself as a survivor; experiencing adult sexuality as voluntary, mutual, and pleasure-oriented, and feeling deserving of healthy sexuality; and focusing on living well in personal, sexual, marital, and parenting roles.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Learning from unsuccessful sex therapy patients.

This paper examines what can be learned from evaluating work with unsuccessful sex therapy patients. It is especially important to be aware of potential iatrogenic effects. As much can be learned from unsuccessful as from successful patients as sex therapy tries to answer the question "What type of therapeutic intervention, with what type of sexual problems, what type of patients, and what type of therapist is most likely to result in a positive outcome?"

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Sexually compulsive men and inhibited sexual desire.

Sexually compulsive males report extremely high rates of desire involving paraphiliac activity. Desire and arousal in partner sex is usually low or unstable. Cognitive-behavioral strategies and techniques are presented based on four components in the assessment/intervention process: 1) eliminating or reducing paraphiliac arousal; 2) sex education, changing sexual attitudes, self-disclosure, sexual assertiveness, and reduction of guilt and shame; 3) confronting secrecy and cognitive distortions, increasing empathy for victims, awareness of harm to others, and commitment to abstain from compulsive, abusive behavior; and 4) developing a healthy sexual desire and arousal pattern that nurtures and maintains an intimate relationship. The motivated male (especially with a partner he is comfortable with, attracted to, and trusts) can develop a pleasurable, erotic sexual pattern that allows him to maintain desire during partner sex.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Relapse prevention strategies and techniques in sex therapy.

Research and clinical reports have documented the effectiveness of sex therapy interventions, but surprisingly little work has been done on how to maintain therapeutic gains and prevent relapse. This clinically oriented paper describes successful use of techniques, including keeping couple dates after the termination of formal sessions, use of six-month follow-ups for two years, continual utilization of nonintercourse pleasuring sessions, making sure lapses do not become relapses, setting realistic couple goals, initiating intimacy dates, and designing a generalization program. The clinician's goal is not simply to restore sexual functioning, but to help the couple build a satisfying sexual style which will continue to reinforce and energize the marital bond.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1990

Treating sexual dysfunction associated with prior sexual trauma.

Negative, confusing, guilt-inducing, or traumatic sexual experiences are almost universal for both females and males. Guidelines are presented for assessing sexual trauma using the medium of the detailed sexual history. The cognitive-behavioral treatment strategy considers past trauma in the context of the present sexual dysfunction rather than an issue to be dealt with first or separately. The guiding principles are to teach the person to be a "survivor" rather than a "victim" and to help the couple develop a functional and satisfying sexual style because "living well is the best revenge."

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Developing positive intimacy cognitions in males with a history of nonintimate sexual experiences.

Traditional male sexual socialization is based on assumptions and cognitions which are antithetical to adult intimate relationships. The double standard scenario, initial sexual experiences, the way of talking about sex with peers, cognitions around automatic and autonomous functioning, the criterion of perfect performance, orgasm-orientation, and emotional separateness from females are strongly overlearned and reinforced in the young male subculture. A cognitive-behavioral strategy is used to increase intimacy among couples as well as males without partners. The focus is on increasing comfort, self-disclosure, and increasing the range of emotional and sexual expression.

Cognition↗
PubMed1986

A cognitive-behavioral approach to understanding and treating sexual trauma.

This paper presents a cognitive-behavioral model for conceptualizing and intervening in the area of sexual trauma. A central theme is understanding and modifying the process of victimization. The survivor of sexual trauma can regain a positive sexual self-esteem and view sexuality as a planful, choiceful activity which can enhance her life.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1985

Use and misuse of behavioral homework exercises in sex therapy.

This paper examines uses of sexual exercises and their role in effecting changes in attitudes, behaviors, and feelings. In reaction to the charge that exercises are overly mechanistic, clinicians now underutilize exercises and/or give only general suggestions. The common errors of nonspecificity, use as a cookbook, quick abandonment, and setting performance criterion are discussed. The use of semistructured, written exercises which function as in vivo desensitization, facilitate development of verbal and stimulation skills, and provide a positive model of sexuality are most efficacious. A case example illustrating the multiple therapeutic benefits of exercises is presented.

Attitude↗
PubMed1984

Strategies and techniques for the treatment of inhibited sexual desire.

This paper, based on a clinical sample of 20 couples and 10 males without partners, presents a cognitive-behavioral model for conceptualizing and treating inhibited sexual desire. Tentative hypotheses and observations are made including: 1) there is a better prognosis if the desire dysfunction is not complicated by any other dysfunction; 2) females have a better prognosis than males; 3) it is crucial to break the self-defeating cycle of negative anticipation, aversive experience and avoidance; 4) therapeutic focus should be on quality and satisfaction of the broadly defined sexual relationship rather than the performance goal of intercourse frequency.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

[Mechanism of delta-aminolevulinic acid neurotoxicity].

The neurotoxicity of delta-aminolaevulinic acid (ALA), porphobilinogen (PBG), glutamic acid, gamma-aminobutyric acid and kainic acid was compared in order to investigate the possibility of a common neurotoxic mechanism. Only ALA (10 microM) and glutamic acid (1 mM) were toxic towards neurons in culture, as measured by cell survival after 5 days' exposure. 3H-kainic acid binds to striatal membranes with an equilibrium dissociation constant (KD) of 57 nM and the number of binding sites was found to be 20 pmol/g striatal tissue. However, neither of the porphyrin precursors could displace kainic acid from these binding sites. Kainic acid alone caused neuronal degeneration after intrastriatal administration, as determined by 3H-spiroperidol binding to striatal membranes. The porphyrin precursors ALA and PBG thus do not share a common neurotoxic mechanism with the well-known neurotoxin kainic acid.

Aminolevulinic Acid↗
PubMed1981

gamma-Aminobutyric acid concentration in cerebrospinal fluid in schizophrenia.

gamma-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) concentration was determined in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of acute and chronic schizophrenic patients, in persons with psycho-organic or personality disorders, and in nonpsychiatric controls. The mean CSF GABA level in the chronic schizophrenic patients was found to be significantly higher than in any of the other groups. No other statistically significant differences were found. Statistical analysis revealed that the elevated CSF GABA concentration in the chronic schizophrenic patients was unlikely to be caused by medication. These results are interpreted as evidence for possible primary or secondary GABAergic overactivity in the brain in chronic schizophrenia.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1977

Strategies and techniques for the reduction of sexual anxiety.

In this paper 14 anxiety-reduction techniques are discussed: use of bibliotherapy, use of audiovisual materials, in vivo desensitization via written, programmed exercises; self-exploration/masturbation training; orgasmic reconditioning; simulated orgasm experiences; implosion techniques; sex word desensitization; sexual assertion training; therapist modeling/self-disclosure; systematic desensitization; and cue-controlled relaxation. The sex therapist can integrate these techniques into the sex therapy contract with individuals or couples and use them either singly or in a sequential multiple technique format to reduce sexual anxiety.

Anxiety↗