| 107 Room 520-B | Sexuality and Health Sunday, July 10, 2005 Time: 9:00 AM-12:00 PM |
What is Healthy Male Sexuality: A Biopsychosocial, Developmental Approach.
Metz, Michael*,1, 1 Meta Associates, St. Paul, MN, USA
ABSTRACT- Promoting healthy male sexuality is the focus of this 3 hour workshop. A biopsychosocial model (medical, psychological, relationship features) is used to inclusively understand common male problems: sexual dysfunction (erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation, low desire), sexual compulsivity, sexual abuse, internet pornography, as well as the problems of sexual familiarity (boredom) and male emotional sexualization. To address such problems, detailed features of healthy male sexual function are described. This workshop examines some of the common barriers to healthy male sexuality including Western cultural images, detrimental cultural stereotypes and messages about men & sex, inadequate sex education, physical and mental illness, the problem of male objectification of women, pornography, and male silence about honest sexual feelings. This model for understanding the features of healthy male sexuality is grounded on scientific knowledge of the multiple dimensions of sex: biological, psychological (cognitions, behaviors, emotions), and interpersonal (relationship identity, cooperation, and intimacy). Accurate knowledge about male anatomy and physiology forms the foundation for promoting realistic expectations. The workshop will summarize scientific data about male sexual behavior throughout the lifecycle. Male sexuality develops positively or negatively throughout life, and special attention is given to constructive and destructive features including how & what boys learn about sex, adolescent sex (automatic & autonomous), early adulthood (the Budweiser Beer Model of male sexuality), middle adulthood (stagnation or maturity), as well as male aging & sexuality. The workshop describes how a man, with his partner, can increase and integrate sexual health within their realistic relationship by considering The 10 Things Men Need to Learn for healthy sexuality including: 1. The inter-relationship between biopsychosocial health and sexual health. 2. Respecting and regulating the biological imperative of male sex drive. 3. The issue of male sexualization of emotions. 4. Developmental integration of the five functions of sex. 5. Male sexuality and the three basic sexual arousal styles. 6. The crucial issue for men of sexual familiarity in long-term relationship. 7. Men and relationship Identity, Cooperation, and Emotional Intimacy. 8. The role of relationship conflict in sexual problems. 9. The sexual couple as an intimate team. 10. The standard of Good Enough sex. This workshop is grounded in the new integrative, biopsychosocial, multidimensional approach to male sexual function developed by Metz & McCarthy as published in Coping with Erectile Dysfunction (2004) and Coping with Premature Ejaculation (2003) and presents strategies for growth. ( 392 words in text)
Key words: male sexuliaty, biopsychsocial perspective, relationship intimacy, male sexual dysfunction, sexual health