Sex-Positive Assessment and Treatment Among Female Trauma Survivors.

Sexuality and intimacy difficulties are often a part of the aftermath of sexual trauma. We argue that combining techniques from evidence-based, trauma-focused treatment with sex-positive techniques used in sex therapy can best help survivors reduce trauma-related symptoms and develop or regain comfort with their sexuality. In this article, we illustrate this approach by describing the case of a survivor of sexual assault, who completed 20 sessions of treatment that combined modules of trauma-focused therapies, Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), and Prolonged Exposure (PE) with sensate focus therapy, a technique often used in sex therapy. The outcome of this case suggests that clinicians who work with sexual trauma survivors may want to consider a sex-positive approach to conceptualizing and planning the course of treatment, to achieve optimal results.

Reduced negative affect response in female psychopaths.

Studies that investigate the differences between high and low psychopathic persons in brain activity during emotional facial expression processing are rare and commonly focus on males. The current study assessed whether previously reported behavioral differences would be reflected in differential brain activity in a sample of female offenders. The participants included 23 female forensic inpatients with high and low scores on the Psychopathy Checklist Revised (PCL-R). ERPs were recorded during presentation of emotional facial expressions (i.e., fear, angry, and happy). Results revealed no differences in N170, P3 and late positive potential components between groups, but a significant difference in N2 only for angry and fear facial expressions, with high psychopathic participants showing lower reactivity. This N2 effect was found to be related to Factor 2 but not Factor 1 of the PCL-R. In time frequency analysis, theta activity underlying N2 best reflected these differences. Findings in this female sample are consistent with a cortical deficit in processing facial expression of negative emotions in psychopathic men. In addition, differences in processing seem to appear relatively early.