Review of The mismeasure of desire: The science, theory, and ethics of sexual orientation.

Reviews the book, The mismeasure of desire: The science, theory, and ethics of sexual orientation by Edward Stein (see record 1999-04230-000). It would hardly be overstating the matter to say that perhaps the single most hotly debated issue in both psychology and contemporary American culture is the nature and origins of human sexual desires. In opposition to the currently more widely accepted thesis that sexual orientation is determined at birth, philosopher and educator Edward Stein argues in this new book that much of what we think we know about the origins of sexual desire is probably misguided and incomplete. Carefully examining a broad range of research on sexual orientation, Stein suggests that many of the most frequently cited findings are deeply flawed—not only methodologically but also in light of certain unquestioned philosophical assumptions and cultural stereotypes. Although the arguments in Stein’s book are more than a little likely to create controversy, and, indeed, some may well be found to be specious, his book is nonetheless a very welcome infusion of thoughtful philosophical and psychological thinking into the all-too-often muddled arena of contemporary academic and political debate. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Treating Attachment Pathology.

Reviews the book, Treating Attachment Pathology by Jon Mills (see record 2005-04683-000). Many books written on attachment pathology focus on the assessment and treatment of children, and provide very little information on attachment difficulties found in adults and adolescents. This book addresses this neglected area by exploring attachment disorders and psychopathology in adults. As such, Mills' work is a welcome addition to the literature. It goes beyond simply linking adult psychopathology to early attachment difficulties. Mills' work provides a theoretical framework for understanding attachment from a psychodynamic/psychoanalytic perspective and then uses this theoretical framework to discuss the aetiology and treatment of adult disorders. Mills aims to make Treating Attachment Pathology accessible to the expert and novice alike. He does this by extensively reviewing the literature for the expert and by making the literature accessible to the novice by providing case examples. Mills himself, however, acknowledges that at times the literature and language is "dense and esoteric." To counteract this Mills makes extensive use of case examples and thereby makes complex and theoretically dense concepts accessible. This is one of the real strengths of Mills' book and it is done with great skill. Although Mills is working from a psychoanalytic/psychodynamic perspective, this book offers much to clinicians from all perspectives. Mills' frank discussion of his own mistakes, and his invitations to critique his therapeutic decisions and techniques, provide a fresh and welcome addition to the literature. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Experiential therapies for eating disorders.

Reviews the book, Experiential therapies for eating disorders, edited by Lynne M. Hornyak and Ellen K. Baker (see record 1989-97569-000). In this book, Lynne Hornyak and Ellen Baker provide a collection of chapters describing "experiential" therapies for eating disorders. Hornyak and Baker define experiential therapy as '...treatment techniques, based on psychological principles that are developed and used with the specific intention of increasing clients' present awareness of feelings, perceptions, cognitions, and sensations; that is, their in-the-moment experience..." (p.3). The book is divided into two sections: The first part addresses the treatment of bulimia nervosa; the second deals with anorexia nervosa. Each author presents his or her treatment approach in sufficient detail to give the reader a clear picture of how the technique could be implemented in the clinical setting. This book may stimulate practitioners to consider the theoretical rationale of their clinical methods and to consider alternative therapies in their treatment of patients with eating disorders. However, the book fell short of the mark in several respects. First, although the authors of each chapter attempted to emphasize the interrelationship of theory and practice, they often glossed over the fact that there was little or no empirical support for either their conceptualiztion of the disorder or the efficacy of the intervention that they espoused. Second, the editors failed to provide the reader with an integrative summary. There was no attempt to provide the practicing clinician with a guide to decision making in the treatment of eating disorders. The editors did not address key questions such as how one assesses a patient with an eating disorder or how one decides which treatment is best suited for her. A related shortcoming is that the editors do not provide the reader with a summary of the state of the art with regard to the conceptualization and treatment of eating disorders. There is now sufficient empirical literature to support specific models of etiology and the efficacy of particular interventions (cf. Brownell & Foreyt, 1986). Without an overview, the reader is left with the impression that the current understanding and treatment of eating disorders is in a prescientific state and that personal preferences rather than empirical findings dictate which treatments are best suited for particular patients. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Handbook of treatment for eating disorders.

Reviews the book, Handbook of treatment for eating disorders (2nd ed.) edited by David M. Garner and Paul E. Garfinkel (see record 1997-08478-000). In this book, the editors state that their primary goal is to present treatment approaches in sufficient detail that clinicians can conduct therapy of these disorders. A strong research base undergirds each chapter, filled with extensive case illustration and practical approaches, directed toward the practicing clinician. With new as well as revised chapters, this book consists of five major sections. The first, "The Context for Treatment," describes the history of eating disorders, focusing on Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa. The second, and most coherent, section focuses on cognitive-behavioral and educational approaches. A conglomeration of approaches based on other theoretical perspectives appears in the third section, entitled "Psychodynamic, Feminist, and Family Approaches." In the fourth section, issues around inpatient, partial hospitalization, and drug therapies are reviewed. A final, catch-all section covers special topics, including comorbid histories and conditions (sexual abuse, substance abuse, and medical issues), diagnostic concerns (personality disorders), alternative treatments (group, self-help), treatment dilemmas (treatment refusal in anorexia nervosa), age considerations (prepubertal eating disorders), and binge-eating disorder. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Treating the unmanageable adolescent: A guide to oppositional defiant and conduct disorders.

Reviews the book, Treating the unmanageable adolescent: A guide to oppositional defiant and conduct disorders by Neil Bernstein (see record 1997-97564-000). This book examines the process of diffusing resistance to change and facilitating treatment compliance with this difficult population. Emphasis is placed on the understanding of teenagers' anger and rage, the sense of entitlement, lack of control, and disregard for the rights of others as defining characteristics of the disorders. The early chapters describe the markers for the Disruptive Behavior Disorders, which include both oppositional defiant and conduct disorders. The book then moves from evaluation into treatment planning. Treatment processes then are discussed, including the development of necessary interpersonal skills, building of self-esteem, and developing empathy, morality, and vulnerability. The reviewer speaks very highly of this book and its author. He states that that the text is solid throughout with relevant references and that Bernstein is well grounded theoretically and has a wealth of understanding with this population. This book will offer wide appeal to readers who work with adolescents with behavioral problems. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Psychopathology and addictive disorders.

Reviews the book, Psychopathology and addictive disorders edited by Roger E. Meyer (see record 1986-98775-000). This volume is divided into six sections that are intended to reflect the possible interactions or relationships between psychopathology and the addictive disorders. I found this book to be informative, enjoyable, and stimulating for the most part. It appealed to both the clinician and the researcher in me and I would recommend it to both types of readers. There are several less favorable aspects of the book about which the potential purchaser and reader needs to be forewarned. First, clinical implications abound in many chapters and clinical applications are directly addressed in several. However, the book is not a clinical handbook by any means nor are treatment discussions the primary focus of many of the chapters. Secondly, the authors do a better job describing the various sorts of psychopathological conditions that are seen in conjunction with addictive disorders than they do in covering the full range of abused substances. A final caution concerns the lack of a road map to guide the reader through the book. However, this book should serve as a solid summary of the relatively current status of the questions as well as a springboard for future research ideas. I commend the editor and authors and recommend it as a valuable addition to the bookshelf of clinician and researcher involved with substance use problems. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Treating the juvenile offender.

Reviews the book, Treating the juvenile offender edited by Robert D. Hoge, Nancy G. Guerra, and Paul Boxer (see record 2008-02979-000). This book rejuvenates interest in treatment for juvenile offenders, outlining the important advances that have been made, key challenges that remain, and useful principles for effectively meeting these challenges. Key themes that are emphasised include the importance of evidence-based approaches, interventions that are sensitive to the ecological systems within which youth are embedded, and rehabilitative strategies that are closely informed by research on youths’ risks, needs, and strengths. This book does not deliver a quick manual on how to deliver a particular program, but instead carefully models how to think about and approach treatment. While the book remains accessible to beginners, it is written in a manner which will be thought-provoking and informative even for experts. Furthermore, it is likely to have the positive effect of leaving readers with a desire to learn and do more to improve current practices. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of La baisse du désir sexuel: méthodes d'évaluation et de traitement.

The decrease in sexual desire is considered to be one of the most common sexual dysfunctions, but it is also one of the most difficult to treat. Dr. Trudel's book proposes a cognitive-behavioral treatment as well as a multimodal approach for this problem. Using scientific research as his evidence this book is an essential resource for psychologists and clinicians especially for those which work with French-speaking clients. This book explains both evaluation methods as well as treatment for the loss of sexual desire and considers the multitude of factors that can effect the development, maintenance and exacerbation of these problems paying special attention to cognitive and behavioral factors and the interaction of the two. The goal of the book is to give a detailed presentation of the evaluation and treatment of loss of sexual desire. Trudel presents a study on the treatment in his "laboratory on sexuality and the couple" in the department of psychology at the University of Quebec in Montreal. In the first section of the book, factors that are associated with loss of sexual desire are discussed and Trudel examines the role and interaction of individual and environmental factors. The next section of the book describes the evaluation of the loss of sexual desire. This section includes interviews and psychometric methods which are both practical and useful. The third section of the book reviews studies and the results of treatment for loss of sexual desire. In the last section, various methods of intervention are presented including couples therapy, sex therapy, cognitive therapy and working with one's sexual fantasies. This section ends with a discussion on methods of application, resistance to treatment and prevention of relapse. Overall, this book is very well written and easily accessible to various types of audiences: psychologists, psychiatrists, sexual and general health therapists who are interested in the treatment of sexual dysfunctions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Treating substance abuse: Theory and technique.

Reviews the book, Treating substance abuse: Theory and technique edited by Frederick Rotgers, Daniel S. Keller, and Jon Morgenstern (see record 1995-99052-000). The authors initially postulate the question of "why we produced this book": They indicated that it is "a response to forces of change." Their answers are a reflection of "the increasing uneasiness among substance abuse treatment providers, the unstable, and often poor outcomes that result from mainstream treatments." Those who suffer from psychoactive substance use disorders, (PSUD's) constitute a staggering population; and many fail to benefit from treatment over a period of time. The authors organized the book into five major approaches to treatment theory and techniques. (1) 12-step, (2) Psychodynamic, (3) Marital-Family therapy, (4) Behavioral, and (5) Motivational enhancement. This book is essential for the beginning practitioner in the field of substance abuse, but it also serves as a valuable adjunct for those of us who have been in the field for a period of time. The authors were thorough, organized, and clear in their presentations. The text is well written and certainly a valued, up-to-date, adjunct to the field of substance abuse theory and treatments. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Romantic love and sexual desire in close relationships.

Drawing on recent claims in the study of relationships, attachment, and emotion, the authors hypothesized that romantic love serves a commitment-related function and sexual desire a reproduction-related function. Consistent with these claims, in Study 1, brief experiences of romantic love and sexual desire observed in a 3-min interaction between romantic partners were related to distinct feeling states, distinct nonverbal displays, and commitment- and reproductive-related relationship outcomes, respectively. In Study 2, the nonverbal display of romantic love was related to the release of oxytocin. Discussion focuses on the place of romantic love and sexual desire in the literature on emotion. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of The death of desire. A study in psychopathology.

Reviews the book, The death of desire. A study in psychopathology by M. Guy Thompson (1985). Thompson has written an amiable book, filled with the spirit of ecumenism. A practising clinical psychologist, his thesis is that desire is the "foundation of the human subject," that it is "located in the heart of the unconscious," that, if once "situated in phenomenology," this unconscious can reveal "the nature of intersubjective relations." Accordingly, pathological phenomena would be attributable to the deadening of this desire—hence, the book's title. Thompson clearly intends a dialogue between phenomenology and psychoanalysis. The result is an attempt at synthesis that takes R. D. Laing on the one hand and Jacques Lacan on the other—two rather strange bedfellows—as his chief sources of inspiration. Taken as a whole, this book's reach outstretches its grasp. It really does not offer a cogent, coherent synthesis of phenomenology and psychoanalysis but seems rather to offer a congenial amalgam of the many insights experienced by a highly intelligent, versatile and sensitive man during the long, fecund years of his training. As such it is endlessly stimulating, if never quite convincing, and offers singular promise for the future work of its author. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of A tired woman's guide to passionate sex: Reclaim your desire and reignite your relationship.

Reviews the book, A tired woman's guide to passionate sex: Reclaim your desire and reignite your relationship by Laurie B. Mintz (2009). Statistics bear it out: The most common sexual complaint that women have is low desire, and the most common reason that women cite is being too tired for sex. A tired woman’s guide is a thorough, research-based, cognitive– behavioral self-help program to help women not only revive their interest in sex but also be more assertive and take more time for self-care, which is sorely absent in the contemporary lives of women. Because the author has taken care to eliminate the crass language that is sometimes found in popular books about sexuality, it is a book that a psychotherapist or health care provider could easily recommend without fear of offending a female client of any age. The book is organized into nine chapters and is written in a professional and friendly manner that will appeal to the lay reader. Although the purpose of the book is to educate and motivate a lay audience, the book would be improved by having specific references to research included so that a psychotherapist unacquainted with the research in the field of female sexual health would be able to do further reading or research on the topic. Even a brief list of references to major studies would be preferable to none at all. Second, the book lays the blame for being “too tired” squarely on the woman’s shoulders. Much is made of the woman’s task of helping her partner understand how she feels and what she wants. Although this is a good ideal, it assumes that the male partner is receptive to feedback or will make the requested changes. Although the author recommends pornography made for women by a woman, it may still be a potential turnoff for some readers. Clinicians need to be prepared for a potential exploration of the topic should they recommend the book. Still, A tired woman’s guide to passionate sex is better than many books on the topic. Perhaps because Mintz is brave enough to admit to her readers that she, herself, was a woman too tired for sex at one time and needed to go on her own journey to recover her lost libido, the book works as an empathic companion to the woman who is puzzled by her own lack of drive. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Pornography and sexual aggression.

Reviews the book, Pornography and sexual aggression by N. M. Malamuth and E. Donnerstein (1984). Malamuth and Donnerstein are well qualified to prepare a book on pornography by virtue of their extensive research on the topic over the last several years. In 1970, the United States Commission on Obscenity and Pornography concluded that there was no evidence that pornography had adverse effects on the incidence of violence toward women. It is clear from Malamuth and Donnerstein's chapters that they believe the evidence now points to radically different conclusions and that a book summarizing all of the evidence was warranted. In the opening chapters, Malamuth and Donnerstein present summaries of their respective lines of research. Malamuth has concentrated primarily on the effects of aggressive pornography on men's sexual arousal to portrayals of coercive sexual interactions, their self-reported likelihood to rape, their acceptance of rape myths, their acceptance of interpersonal violence, and the belief that women enjoy being raped. Donnerstein discusses the effects of aggressive pornography on men's aggression toward females in a laboratory situation. The evidence presented in the book points to three main conclusions: (a) portrayals of sex and violence in the media have important effects on at least some people; (b) it is possible to formulate general theories to account for most of the results presented; and (c) the results present serious problems for society. This book is an important contribution to the literature on the effects of pornography. Put together in one volume, the evidence on the effects of pornography, especially violent pornography, is very convincing. The theoretical aspects of why this should be so are much less convincing. But the authors have made a good beginning. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Treating stress in families.

Reviews the book, Treating stress in families edited by Charles R. Figley (see record 1989-97469-000). This book builds upon the work of two earlier books in the Psychosocial Stress Series, Stress and the Family, Volumes 1 & 2, both edited by Charles Figley. In the previous volumes attention was focused on ways in which families try to manage the stress of normative transitions (Volume 1) and catastrophes (Volume 2). In the present volume the editor has organized the book around the general theme of therapeutic intervention with families undergoing extraordinary stress. Specific theoretical viewpoints and timely presenting problems are discussed in depth. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

What does sexual orientation orient? A biobehavioral model distinguishing romantic love and sexual desire.

Although it is typically presumed that heterosexual individuals only fall in love with other-gender partners and gay-lesbian individuals only fall in love with same-gender partners, this is not always so. The author develops a biobehavioral model of love and desire to explain why. The model specifies that (a) the evolved processes underlying sexual desire and affectional bonding are functionally independent; (b) the processes underlying affectional bonding are not intrinsically oriented toward other-gender or same-gender partners; (c) the biobehavioral links between love and desire are bidirectional, particularly among women. These claims are supported by social-psychological, historical, and cross-cultural research on human love and sexuality as well as by evidence regarding the evolved biobehavioral mechanisms underlying mammalian mating and social bonding. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Maintaining sexual desire in intimate relationships: The importance of approach goals.

Three studies tested whether adopting strong (relative to weak) approach goals in relationships (i.e., goals focused on the pursuit of positive experiences in one's relationship such as fun, growth, and development) predict greater sexual desire. Study 1 was a 6-month longitudinal study with biweekly assessments of sexual desire. Studies 2 and 3 were 2-week daily experience studies with daily assessments of sexual desire. Results showed that approach relationship goals buffered against declines in sexual desire over time and predicted elevated sexual desire during daily sexual interactions. Approach sexual goals mediated the association between approach relationship goals and daily sexual desire. Individuals with strong approach goals experienced even greater desire on days with positive relationship events and experienced less of a decrease in desire on days with negative relationships events than individuals who were low in approach goals. In two of the three studies, the association between approach relationship goals and sexual desire was stronger for women than for men. Implications of these findings for maintaining sexual desire in long-term relationships are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of The assessment of aphasia and related disorders (2nd ed).

Reviews the book, The assessment of aphasia and related disorders (2nd ed.) by Harold Goodglass and Edith Kaplan (1983). The authors state in the preface that much has been learned about aphasia since the first edition of this book was published, through both formal research and clinical experience. Unfortunately, there is little to reflect this in the revised text: The most striking feature of this second edition is the similarity to the original publication. There are a few instances where the text has been rewritten to provide better clarification and to include more recent information. For example, the section in Chapter 2 on "loss of grammar and syntax" has been extended and includes recent references. However, the major portion of each chapter (with the exception of Chapter 3 on the statistical background) is essentially a reproduction of the 1972 text. The extent of this word-for-word reproduction includes the phrase "recent historical papers" to refer to papers published in the 1960s. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Disturbances of the mind.

Reviews the book, Disturbances of the mind by Douwe Draaisma and translated by Barbara Fasting (see record 2010-04898-000). Draaisma is an excellent storyteller. He gets the reader to stand on tiptoe to look over the barriers of time and place into specific biographic scenes and then quickly zooms out for a historical perspective. For North American readers, this Dutch psychologist and historian is a welcome guide on the journey to understand the work and lives of 11 European eponym-bearers: Bonnet, Parkinson, Broca, Jackson, Korsakoff, Gilles de la Tourette, Alzheimer, Brodmann, Clérambault, Capgras, and Asperger. Draaisma notes that he strove to be a “resurrectionist” (p. 3) of the thoughts, feelings, and context of these individuals. In achieving this objective he engenders empathy for past and present clinician-scientists and their patients and creates a work that will interest, engage, and even inspire educated readers outside the health professions as well as students and professionals in neurology, psychiatry, and psychology. Single chapters might be useful for support groups dealing with one of the eponymous disorders. My most serious criticism is Draaisma’s lack of a clear statement of the limits of his coverage of current research. His brief summary of current understanding of each eponymous disorder provides a welcome sense of integration, but, without qualification by the author, some readers may mistake this material for a comprehensive review. In particular I worried about this possibility when I read the Alzheimer’s disease chapter, in which Draaisma writes that research to date “has not created a single opening in the direction of treatment” (p. 225). I strongly urge that any recommendation of the book to lay readers or undergraduate or early graduate students be accompanied by the caveat that readers not rely on the book as the sole or even primary source of information regarding the current state of knowledge regarding a given disorder. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Child sexual abuse: Critical perspectives on prevention, intervention, and treatment.

Reviews the book, Child sexual abuse: Critical perspectives on prevention, intervention, and treatment edited by Christopher R. Bagley and Ray J. Thomlison (1991). This book is a compilation of a series of literature reviews originally commissioned by Health and Welfare Canada in 1987 and completed in 1988. The individual papers included in this edited version represent a cross section of Canadian academicians, clinicians, and case workers who are integrally involved in the policies and practices regarding child sexual abuse in Canada. The work provides a comprehensive perspective on prevention at the primary, secondary, and tertiary levels. The list of authors is impressive in terms of their expertise and experience. At a time when numerous books on child sexual abuse are appearing on the market, it is nice to see a book that has some unusual aspects. Aside from its distinctly Canadian perspective, the book addresses several important, yet frequently ignored, topics. The book provides an up-to-date review of several core issues: conceptualization of the problem, prevention strategies, impact of sexual abuse, investigative interviewing, treatment outcome studies, and treatment issues for child molesters. The more unique topics include a review of the strategies used to evaluate prevention programs, prevalence rates among a number of special populations, the role of medical practitioners in preventing and intervening in child sexual abuse, and sexual abuse and exploitation among disabled individuals. Overall, I can recommend this book for clinicians and researchers in Canada and elsewhere who are interested in child sexual abuse. This compilation of literature reviews highlights the leading role that Canadian social service agencies have taken in developing programs for sexually abused children and their families. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)