Amelioration of sexual fantasies to sexual abuse cues in an adult survivor of childhood sexual abuse: A case study

Wilson, Jane E.; Wilson, Keith

doi:10.1016/j.jbtep.2008.01.002

Cited by 10 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…In summary, sexual preferences causing distress seem to be linked specifically to the ‘non-realization’ of traumatic events (Janet, 1919). Rape fantasies, masochism, and sexual reenactments of past abuse may be understood as a dissociative mechanism to escape from painful feelings and to reverse the helplessness endured during traumatic experiences of sexual violence, thereby bestowing survivors a temporarily sense of control (Howell, 1996; Lahav, Talmon, Ginzburg, & Spiegel, 2019; Money, 1987; Ruszczynski, 2007), which is maintained by operant conditioning (Wilson & Wilson, 2008). This was also in line with conceptualizations of sexual masochism as an emotional self-regulation process in women with borderline personality disorder and childhood sexual abuse (Frías et al, 2017).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sexual symptoms in post-traumatic stress disorder following childhood sexual abuse: a network analysis

et al. 2020

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Background Even though recent research indicates that sexual symptoms are highly prevalent in post-traumatic stress disorder following childhood sexual abuse and cause severe distress, current treatments neither address them nor are they effective in reducing them. This might be due to a lack of understanding of sexual symptoms' specific role in the often complex and comorbid psychopathology of post-traumatic stress disorder following childhood abuse. Methods Post-traumatic, dissociative, depressive, and sexual symptoms were assessed in 445 inpatients with post-traumatic stress disorder following childhood sexual abuse. Comorbidity structure was analyzed using a partial correlation network with regularization. Results A total of 360 patients (81%) reported difficulties engaging in sexual activities and 102 patients (23%) reported to suffer from their sexual preferences. Difficulties engaging in sexual activities were linked to depressive and hyperarousal symptoms, whereas sexual preferences causing distress were linked to anger and dissociation. Dissociative amnesia, visual intrusions, and physical reactions to trauma reminders were of central importance for the network. Dissociative amnesia, depressed mood, lack of energy, and difficulties engaging in sexual activities were identified as bridge symptoms. Local clustering analysis indicated the non-redundancy of sexual symptoms. Conclusions Sexual symptoms are highly prevalent in survivors of childhood sexual abuse with post-traumatic stress disorder. Further research is needed regarding the link of difficulties engaging in sexual activities, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder, as well as regarding the association of dissociation and sexual preferences causing distress. Sexual symptoms require consideration in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder following childhood sexual abuse.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sexual symptoms in post-traumatic stress disorder following childhood sexual abuse: a network analysis

et al. 2020

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“…Renaud and Byers (2006) found that men and women who have experienced sexual coercion in adulthood report more negative sexual fantasies involving submission. Also, clinicians and researchers have noted that some female survivors of childhood sexual abuse report negatively appraised sexual fantasies involving force, humiliation, or pain, as well as inappropriate partners (Briere, 1992;Maltz, 2000;Westerlund, 1992;Wilson & Wilson, 2008). In response to these observations, Maltz (1992) developed a therapeutic model of 'sexual healing' that involves a component related to addressing negative sexual fantasies.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…While these methods are typically used to treat deviant sexual fantasies used by sex offenders (McGrath, Cumming, Burchard, Zeoli, & Ellerby, 2009;Vanhoeck, Van Daele, & Gykiere, 2011), they have also been used in other clinical contexts. For example, Wilson and Wilson (2008) report successfully using an aversion-based strategy with a female survivor of childhood sexual abuse who reported sexual fantasies involving sexual abuse cues. Although some behavioural methods are used in sex offender treatment programmes (particularly covert sensitisation; see McGrath et al, 2009), the evidence base for the efficacy of behavioural strategies in reducing sexual arousal towards deviant sexual fantasies both limited and not strong (Beech & Harkins, 2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The effect of bilateral eye-movements versus no eye-movements on sexual fantasies

Bartels

Harkins

Harrison

et al. 2018

Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry

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Bilateral EMs were effective at impairing the phenomenological properties of sexual mental imagery, extending the literature on EM effects. Given the potential clinical implications, future research should focus on validating and extending these results, for example, by targeting negatively appraised sexual fantasies (including problematic and offense-related) and incorporating a 'no intervention' condition.

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“…This study had a few limitations. First, reports regarding the effects of CSA on survivor’s sexual fantasies are often based on case studies and descriptive clinical reports (e.g., Faries, 1997; J. E. Wilson & Wilson, 2008) and are limited by small sample sizes and lack of ethnic diversity.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Sexual Fantasies of Childhood Sexual Abuse Survivors: A Rapid Review

Gewirtz‐Meydan

Opuda

2021

Trauma, Violence, & Abuse

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Although the association between childhood sexual abuse (CSA) and various aspects of sexual difficulties is well established, little is known about the association between CSA and adult sexual fantasies. The current rapid review searched for studies that reported on CSA and sexual fantasies through PubMed, PsycInfo, and Violence & Abuse Abstracts databases. Included in the review were empirical studies involving a population of adults who experienced CSA before the age of 18 and which reported on survivors’ sexual fantasies. The impact of CSA on adult sexual fantasies was found across three main dimensions: prevalence of sexual fantasies, content, and appraisal of the fantasies. Overall, 13 studies that addressed the sexual fantasies of survivors of CSA were identified. This review found an association between CSA and adult sexual fantasies, indicating that survivors of CSA are more likely to report: unrestricted sexual fantasies, more atypical sexual fantasies, more sexual fantasies that involve force, and more fantasies that include elements of sadomasochism, submissiveness, and dominance. Survivors of CSA also begin having sexual fantasies at a significantly earlier age and report their sexual fantasies as being significantly more intrusive than do nonabused subjects. When treating CSA survivors, therapists should acknowledge that a history of CSA can impact the survivors’ sexual fantasies. Further studies with adult survivors of CSA are needed to determine how these sexual fantasies develop subsequent to the abuse, how they are perceived by survivors, and what their effect is on survivors’ and their partners’ sexual health, function, and satisfaction.

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Amelioration of sexual fantasies to sexual abuse cues in an adult survivor of childhood sexual abuse: A case study

Cited by 10 publications

References 13 publications

Sexual symptoms in post-traumatic stress disorder following childhood sexual abuse: a network analysis

Sexual symptoms in post-traumatic stress disorder following childhood sexual abuse: a network analysis

The effect of bilateral eye-movements versus no eye-movements on sexual fantasies

The Sexual Fantasies of Childhood Sexual Abuse Survivors: A Rapid Review

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