Dual Control Model
References
Importantly, at their core, the criteria describe the relationship between sexual distress or sexual impulses and the ability to control oneself sexually. Without this being specifically named in any way, this description reflects one of the most important theories in clinical sexual science — the Dual Control Model [32[1],33[2]]. However, temporal persistence and negative consequences have to be part of the clinical picture in order for it to be categorized as a disorder2. Furthermore, the negative consequences should not be due to moral or religious attitudes that are hostile to sexuality, as such attitudes cannot be the basis of a psychiatric disorder2.
Briken, P. (2020). An integrated model to assess and treat compulsive sexual behaviour disorder. Nature Reviews Urology, 17. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41585-020-0343-7
Dual Process Theory
- We previously noted the widespread application of dual-process models in contemporary psychology (Loewenstein & O’Donoghue, 2007)[3]. The dual control model of sexual response and the dual-process model of human behavior share several traits. The dual control model describes response as a weighted relationship between sexual excitation and inhibition (Janssen & Bancroft, 2007)[4]. Both the dual-process model and dual control model are interactional models focusing on the relative influence of these two systems on each other...
- Psychotherapy is unlikely to affect a client’s capacity for sexual excitation, but it can modulate the client’s sexual inhibition levels through reappraisal of sexual- performance threats or consequences. We hypothesize that sexual health can be improved by enhancing client self-regulation ingredients to rebalance the sexual excitation and inhibition interaction. Men with self-regulation deficits and higher than average sexual excitation levels are more likely to make an in-the-moment decision that contradicts their sexual and relationship agreements. For instance, people with low traits for self-control also report having low dispositional sexual restraint (Gailliot et al., 2007).
Douglas Braun-Harvey MA, MFT, CGP, CST, Michael A. Vigorito LMFT, LCPC, C. (2016). Treating Out of Control Sexual Behavior: Rethinking Sex Addiction (Vol. 7, Issue 2). Springer Publishing Company.
Sexual Tipping Point
- See Perelman (2018) here. Also discussed in Briken, P. (2020). An integrated model to assess and treat compulsive sexual behaviour disorder. Nature Reviews Urology, 17. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41585-020-0343-7.
Notes
As Briken note, Urge Surfing and others skills can reduce Excitation. Since it works like a dimmer switch (Perelman), all you need to do is to reduce it a bit so that the balance doesn't tip. Also thinking about the negative consequences may be able to increase inhibition as in Douglas Braun et al cited above. @Editor.
- ↑ Bancroft, J. & Vukadinovic, Z. Sexual addiction, sexual compulsivity, sexual impulsivity, or what? Toward a theoretical model. J. Sex. Res. 41, 225–234 (2004).
- ↑ Rettenberger, M., Klein, V. & Briken, P. The relationship between hypersexual behavior, sexual excitation, sexual inhibition, and personality traits. Arch. Sex. Behav. 45, 219–233 (2016).
- ↑ Loewenstein, G., & O’Donoghue, T. (2015). The heat of the moment: Modeling interactions between affect and deliberation. https://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/features/dec-0000029.pdf
- ↑ Janssen, E., & Bancroft, J. (2007). The dual control model: The role of sexual inhibition & excitation in sexual arousal and behavior. In E. Janssen (Ed), The psychophysiology of sex. Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press.