Family Well-Being in the 21st Century: Guest Editors’ Note

This special issue reveals pertinent academic discourses of several selected articles that had been presented in the Marital and Sexuality Counseling Seminar (MASEC 2021), organized by Counseling Programme, Faculty of Leadership and Management in collaboration with Sa’adah Counseling and Consultation Centre for Well-being (Sa’adah Centre), Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia.

Gynecologic Cancers

Gynecologic cancer, which includes cancers of the ovary, endometrium, uterus, cervix, vagina, and vulva and trophoblastic disease, is the third most common cancer and the third leading cause of cancer deaths among women in the United States. Gynecologic cancer and treatment lead to a wide range of physical, psychological, and social challenges. Disparities based on race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and healthcare access are also prevalent for cervical cancer. Impairments in reproductive and sexual function are some of the most distressing consequences of gynecologic cancers. There is some evidence to support the use of psychological interventions, psycho-education to promote self-management of psychological and physical symptoms, sexuality counseling, and social support interventions.

Negotiating Sexual Values in Counselor Education: A Qualitative Case Exploration

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine the ways in which counselor educators acknowledge and negotiate their personal sexological worldviews in the teaching of sexuality counseling classes. Analysis of interview material, data mining, and member theorization of six participants (n=6) yielded four overarching themes: 1) centering self-awareness, 2) managing ethical bracketing, 3) affirming sexual diversity, and 4) teaching as a conduit for personal growth. Implications for educators and future recommendations for research are explored.

Sexual Health Outcomes of PLISSIT-based Counseling versus Grouped Sexuality Education among Iranian Women with Breast Cancer: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Background: In-person counseling using the Permission, Limited Information, Specific Suggestion, and Intensive Therapy (PLISSIT) model is a well-known approach to people with sexual problems. Evidence suggests that Grouped Sexuality Education (GSE) can be as effective as in-person Counseling at educating individuals about their sexuality. However, the efficacy of PLISSIT versus GSE has not previously been evaluated in women with Breast Cancer (BC). Methods: In this paper, we report on the primary outcomes, i.e. the influence of PLISSIT and GSE on the main elements of sexual behavior: sexual capacity, motivation and performance as well as sexual distress experienced by women throughout the post BC life (n=75). The women (married, age 20-50 years, sexual distress > 11, at least three months post treatment, and mastectomy) were randomly allocated into three groups, with 25 women in each arm. The PLISSIT group received at least three private sessions over the 6 week study period, while the other intervention group received GSE, and the control group received routine care. Data were collected at baseline, six and 12 weeks post intervention. This study was part of a larger study focused on sexual behavior and quality of life. That main outcome of the current analysis was the sexual behavior of women with breast cancer, comparing two intervention groups and one control group across two follow-up periods of six and 12 weeks. Results: Data analysis of the intention-to-treat population (n=65) revealed a significant intervention impact for both GSE and PLISSIT on the elements of sexual behaviors (P< 0.0001) with positive change in sexual capacity, motivation and performance after 6 and 12 weeks post intervention. We found a greater effect size (1.4) in GSE group compared with the PLISSIT group (68.1%). The mean sexual behavior assessment score was increased in both intervention groups; however, the GSE group was significantly higher than the control group (P<0.0001). Conclusions: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first three-armed randomized trial of sexuality counseling and education for women with BC employing two interventions of PLISSIT and GSE. We found GSE to be more efficacious than PLISSIT. Our findings recommend the integration of sexuality counseling and education into health care delivery before BC treatment and during BC post life rehabilitation.

Islamic Psychospiritual Counseling in Preventing Deviant Sexual Behavior

<p class="06IsiAbstrak">Guidelines for Islamic Psychospiritual Conseling on Prevention of Deviant Sexual Behavior. Despite existence of religious inscriptions and warnings about the dangers and consequences of sexual irregularities,the practice of deviant sexual behavior such as pedophilia, rape, sexual harassment, and LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) remains rampant. Not to mention, cases of sexual deviations in adolescents have led to unwanted circumstances like premarital pregnancy. This study’s question relates towhat kind of sexuality counseling guidance techniques that a Muslim counselor can develop to prevent the occurrence of sexual deviations specifically. In order to answer this question, there is a need for an in-depth study of Islamic teachings originating from the Qur’an, sunnah, Jurisprudence or fiqh, guidance on Islamic counseling, psychology, and counseling and psychotherapy psychology, supplemented by positive legal regulations and the research journals’ results related to the problem of sexuality deviation. This study was carried out in-depth using content analysis, with a psychospiritual approach to Islamic counseling.This study concludes that the subject of deviant sex is due to lack of knowledge about its dangers, lack of religion, and lack of control skills for lust. Islamicpsychospiritual counseling with bibliotherapy techniques followed by creating cognitive maps confirms anti-sex deviant intentions, ended with cognitive therapy using techniques of cognitive restructuring, though stopping and letting gorelaxation. It is predicted to be effective in helping subjects manage lust so that they avoid deviant sexual behavior. This conclusion is still hypothetical which needs to be followed by experiments to be reliable and this caneventually be used as an Islamic psychospiritual counseling guidance technique to overcome sexual deviation.</p>