Sexology is the interdisciplinary scientific study of human sexuality, including sexual behaviour, interests, and functions. A sexologist is a trained professional who specializes in human sexuality.
A sexologist can work in many different ways and other areas – in clinical settings, education, and research. Here's the type of couple a clinical sexologist might encounter.
a consultation
Sarah and John have been together for two years and recently got engaged. Generally, they are pleased with their lives, with satisfying careers, good relationships with their families, and many shared interests. They are also looking forward to starting their family, but the bedroom is one area of their life in which things are not working out so well.
Sara always experiences pain during penetrative sex. She believes it is related to her early sexual experiences when her boyfriend was rude during sex and did not express his feelings. She always saw it as "part of what makes her happy".
Now she realizes she could have said something and is more willing to talk about her experiences with John. She wants to have sex with John but is afraid that it will hurt and hence refrains from doing so.
Richard von Krafft-Ebing's 1886 work, Psychopathia Sexualis, established sexology as a scientific discipline. Wikimedia commons
John was a virgin until he met Sarah. He had "made it out" with girls but never went beyond that. He had always wanted to be sexually active, but the opportunity to experience sex never came before meeting and falling in love with Sarah.
Although Sarah and John are sexually active together, their attempts at intercourse have been fraught with difficulties. As John is sexually inexperienced, he feels anxious about hurting Sarah and wants to "make it right".
This anxiety prevents him from enjoying himself and being "present" during sex, so he has erectile difficulties. He can get an erection during masturbation and oral sex with Sarah, but he loses his erection when they begin penetration.
Sarah and John hear that they can talk to someone about their concerns and make an appointment to see a sexologist.
a growing sector
Books on sexuality and love, such as the Kama Sutra, Ars Amatoria, and The Perfumed Garden of Sensual Delight, have existed for centuries. But they are not drawn into the legal, scientific or medical research field.
During the late 1800s – despite the social attitudes of sexual repression in the Victorian era – more liberal attitudes towards sexuality began to be presented in England and Germany. For example, in 1886, Richard Freiherr von Krafft-Ebing (1840–1902) published Psychopathia Sexualis, the seminal work that established sexology as a scientific discipline.
Havelock Ellis challenged the sexual taboos of her era. Stefano Bolognini/Wikimedia Commons
Within about a decade, the English physician and sexologist Havelock Ellis (1859–1939) challenged the sexual taboos of his era, particularly about masturbation and homosexuality. His 1897 book Sexual Inversion described the sexual inversions of gay men and is considered the first objective study of homosexuality. He coined the term and, despite the prevailing social attitudes of the time, did not regard homosexuality as a disease, immoral or a crime.
Although sometimes controversial, these scientists and practitioners contributed significantly to developing the discipline of sexology.
a happy couple
In 2015, there were many practising sexologists around the world. People like practitioners Sarah and John are commonly called clinical sexologists because they work with the diagnosis and treatment of sexual concerns and dysfunction, among other sexual health presentations. But they may go by other titles such as sex therapist, for example, or psychosexual therapist.
Most use the Ex-PLISSIT model of sex therapy when working with clients. Initially developed by Jack Anon in the 1970s and later expanded by Sally Davis and Bridget Taylor in 2006, the letters of the model refer to four different levels of potential intervention.
They are extended (Ex) and permitted (P) – which means allowing clients to discuss issues of sexual behaviour and sexuality with them, as well as supporting clients in their experiences of sexual behaviour (as long as they are ) not harmful); Limited Information (LI) - Clear any mile
