Intimate Relationships And Sexual Health

A complete curriculum for teaching about sexual health and intimate relationships, taking into consideration the learning preferences, sensitivity, social and other issues characteristic of individuals with autism spectrum disorders.

This accessible book uses case studies to explore issues around intimacy, sexual function and sexual development over the lifespan, introducing applied principles and practices when working with sexuality-related issues. Introducing an easy-to-use ‘Reflect and Respond’ model as a framework for interactions, this book discusses a broad selection of topics and life stages, including hidden loss, gender identity, disability, early years experiences and older age. Exposing anonymized real-life experiences of intimacy, sexual function, and sexual development from birth to end of life, this book develops the reader’s insight into sexual wellbeing and confidence in communicating about it. The experiential learning and research-based content in readable style will educate and inspire readers with an interest in sexual wellbeing and how this impacts on physical and mental health. Demonstrating how being open to talk about sex and intimacy can change lives, this guide is suitable for a wide range of health and social care professionals, including nurses, doctors, occupational therapists, social workers, psychologists and counsellors.

This book presents research that identifies the most salient issues related to communication about sex in relationships and explores these issues in a format that will improve the understanding and practice of sexual communication. What is missing in sex education? An understanding of relationship issues, an understanding of how to communicate with partners, and an understanding of gender differences that affect communication between the sexes. Sex Talk: The Role of Communication in Intimate Relationships was written to inform, influence, and expand individuals' understanding of sexual communication and the dynamics of sexual relationships. It explains why sex talk is important and details how to successfully talk about sex in various types of relationships and stages of relationship development. The book presents research about sex talk in short- and long-term relationships and in marriage. It offers information bearing on casual sexual relationships, friends-with-benefits, and new sexual relationships, as well as on how to discuss sex with adolescents and with health care providers. Each chapter opens with a vignette that explores a communication problem related to sex talk and ends with practical advice on how to improve or start conversations about sex.

Although sexuality is an integral part of close romantic relationships, research linking these two constructs has been less systematic than other areas pertaining to close relationships. To date, researchers in communication, sociology, family studies, psychology, and psychiatry, have made significant advances in both of these fields. The editors' goal is to integrate this research into one volume. They bring together major scholars from the diversity of fields working on close relationship topics to examine past contributions and new directions in sexuality. The emphasis is on theoretical integration and stimulation, methodological rigor, and critical analysis. This volume explores: *early sexual experiences and their impact on late life sexuality; *how life's stresses impact sexuality and satisfaction with closeness; *the affect of postpartum depression on sexuality; and *the relationship between control, power, anger, as well as revenge and sexual processes in couples. The Handbook of Sexuality in Close Relationships is intended for students and researchers in the disciplines of social, clinical, developmental, and health psychology; family studies; counseling; and interpersonal, family, and health communication. An excellent reference in advanced courses in close relationships taught in psychology, communications, sociology, anthropology, and family studies, the material in Part V will also appeal to clinical psychologists, health professionals, and policymakers.

Romantic relationship formation and the engagement in sexual behaviors are normative and salient developmental tasks for adolescents and young adults. These developmental tasks are increasingly viewed from an ecological perspective, thus as strongly embedded in different social contexts, including the proximal social domains of parents, peers, and partners. This volume brings together seven recent empirical studies on adolescents’ and young adults’ romantic relationships and sexuality in the context of relationships with parents, peers, and partners. In this editorial introduction, we describe two important recent changes in the theoretical perspectives on emerging romantic relationships and sexual activity: from risky behaviors to normative tasks, and from individual to contextualized processes. We then discuss recent advances in empirical research on romantic relationships and sexuality of adolescents and young adults. After that, we review the seven studies in this volume, and discuss the contributions of these studies to the existing literature. Finally, we discuss directions for future research regarding how to further incorporate the interrelational perspective in empirical research on these topics, and how to bridge the gap between the research fields on romantic relationships and sexuality. This book was originally published as a special issue of the European Journal of Developmental Psychology.

Across the globe, both in developed and developing countries, the population is rapidly ageing. In the fields of sexual and relationship therapy and sexual health, ageing has not been an issue of priority. Too often, ageing is thought of as a process that relates to problems, deficits, and taboos, and less to pleasure, change, growth and diversity. It is treated as a separate life stage and not a process throughout the lifecycle. Sexuality and sexual health are important parts of the lives of older people, as they have a significant impact on quality of life, psychological well-being and physical health, as well as social and family life. This book brings together contributions from those currently writing on and researching ageing as it relates, in a therapeutic context, to gender identity, to sex and sexuality, and to intimate relationships. This book was originally published as a special issue of Sexual and Relationship Therapy.

Provides a unique interdisciplinary approach to the science of intimate human relationships This newly updated edition of a popular text is the first to present a full-blooded interdisciplinary and theoretically coherent approach to the latest scientific findings relating to human sexual relationships. Written by recognized leaders in the field in a style that is rigorous yet accessible, it looks beyond the core knowledge in social and evolutionary psychology to incorporate material and perspectives from cognitive science (including brain-imaging studies), developmental psychology, anthropology, comparative psychology, clinical psychology, genetic research, sociology, and biology. Written by an international team of acclaimed experts in the field, The Science of Intimate Relationships offers a wealth of thought-provoking ideas and insights into the science behind the initiation, maintenance, and termination of romantic relationships. The 2nd Edition features two new chapters on health and relationships, and friends and family, both of which shed new light on the complex links among human nature, culture, and romantic love. It covers key topics such as mate selection, attachment theory, love, communication, sex, relationship dissolution, violence, mind-reading, and the relationship brain. Provides a coherent and theoretically integrative approach to the subject of intimate relationships Offers an interdisciplinary perspective that looks beyond social and evolutionary psychology to many other scientific fields of study Includes two new chapters on ‘Relationships and Health’ and ‘Friends and Family’, added in response to feedback from professors who have used the textbook with their classes Presented by recognized leaders in the field of relationships Features PowerPoint slides and an online Teaching Handbook The Science of Intimate Relationships, 2nd Edition is designed for upper-level undergraduate students of human sexuality, psychology, anthropology, and other related fields.