ABSTRACT

Objective

Sexual health problems can be pertinent to psychological function/diagnosis and psychologists are key players in treatment and education regarding sexual health. Despite this, little evidence exists to determine if sexual dysfunction is explored during routine client intake interviews, when the client does not present with relationship difficulties, or from a specialist referral for sexual dysfunction. We aimed to explore psychologists’ decision-making around questioning of client sexual functioning through the lens of the Dual-Processing Model.

Method

This qualitative study assessed 16 registered psychologists working within Australia who answered an online questionnaire around their beliefs and clinical experiences of sexual health practice.

Results

Data was analysed using thematic analysis, revealing multiple themes favouring sexual health investigation. Main themes included risk management, relevance to clinical presentations, scope of practice, positive beliefs about asking, and competency beliefs. Primary barriers against sexual health investigation included perceived incompetence, organisational constraints, concerns around damaging rapport, sexual health not being relevant to the client’s needs, and perceptions around unethical practice.

Conclusions

This paper challenged the applicability of the Dual Processing Model to psychological decision-making, and suggested personal biases influence Australian psychologists’ sexual health questioning.

中文翻译：

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澳大利亚心理学家对客户性功能的诊断性提问的定性研究：从实践者角度的动机

摘要

客观的

性健康问题可能与心理功能/诊断有关，心理学家是有关性健康的治疗和教育的关键角色。尽管如此，几乎没有证据可以确定是否在例行客户接待访谈期间探索性功能障碍，当客户没有出现关系困难时，或来自性功能障碍的专家转诊。我们旨在通过双重处理模型的视角探索心理学家围绕质疑客户性功能的决策。

方法

这项定性研究评估了 16 名在澳大利亚工作的注册心理学家，他们围绕他们的信仰和性健康实践的临床经验回答了一份在线问卷。

结果

使用主题分析对数据进行分析，揭示了有利于性健康调查的多个主题。主题包括风险管理、与临床表现的相关性、实践范围、关于询问的积极信念和能力信念。性健康调查的主要障碍包括认为无能、组织限制、对破坏性关系的担忧、与客户需求无关的性健康以及对不道德行为的看法。

结论

本文挑战了双重处理模型对心理决策的适用性，并提出个人偏见会影响澳大利亚心理学家的性健康问题。