The Effects of Similarity in Sexual Excitation,Inhibition, and Mood on Sexual Arousal Problems and Sexual Satisfaction in Newlywed Couples

IntroductionDespite the importance of sexuality for romantic relationships, there has been little research attention to individual differences and dyadic variables, including couple similarity, and their association with sexual problems and satisfaction.AimThe current study examined the effects of the propensity for sexual inhibition and sexual excitation scales (SIS/SES) and the effects of different mood states on sexuality (Mood and Sexuality Questionnaire [MSQ]), at both the individual and the dyad level, on sexual arousal problems and sexual satisfaction.MethodsSimilarity in SIS/SES and MSQ was measured in a nonclinical sample of 35 newlywed couples and operationally defined as the within‐couple, z‐transformed correlations between the two partners' item responses.Main Outcome MeasuresSexual arousal problems were assessed using self‐report measures (Demographic and Sexual History Questionnaire) and focused on the past 3 months. Sexual satisfaction was assessed using the Global Measure of Sexual Satisfaction.ResultsRegression analyses revealed that greater similarity in the effects of anxiety and stress on sexuality was associated with more reported sexual arousal problems of wives. In contrast, the husbands' sexual arousal problems were related only to their own higher SIS1 scores. Higher SES scores predicted lower sexual satisfaction for both husbands and wives. Wives who reported strong positive mood effects on their sexuality indicated greater sexual satisfaction, while husbands who were more similar to their wives in the effect of positive moods on sexuality indicated greater sexual satisfaction.ConclusionsThe findings show that, above and beyond one's own sexual propensities, similarity in various aspects of sexuality predicts sexual problems (more so in women) and sexual satisfaction (in both men and women). Lykins AD, Janssen E, Newhouse S, Heiman JR, and Rafaeli E. The effects of similarity in sexual excitation, inhibition, and mood on sexual arousal problems and sexual satisfaction in newlywed couples. J Sex Med 2012;9:1360–1366.     

Evaluation of a Chaplain Residency Program and Its Partnership with an In-Patient Palliative Care Team

In 2009 a Consensus Conference of experts in the field of spiritual care and palliative care recommended the inclusion of Board-certified professional chaplains with at least 1,600 hours of clinical pastoral education as members of palliative care teams. This study evaluates a clinical pastoral education residency program’s effectiveness in preparing persons to provide spiritual care for those with serious illness and in increasing the palliative care team members’ understanding of the chaplain as part of the palliative care team. Results showed chaplain residents felt the program prepared them to provide care for those with serious illness. It also showed that chaplain residents and palliative care team members view spirituality as an integral part of palliative care and see the chaplain as the team member to lead that effort. Suggested program improvements include longer palliative care orientation period, more shadowing with palliative care team members, and improved communication between palliative care and the chaplain residents.     

Modeling heart failure in animal models for novel drug discovery and development

Introduction: When investigating drugs that treat heart diseases, it is critical when choosing an animal model for the said model to produce data that is translatable to the human patient population, while keeping in mind the principles of reduction, refinement, and replacement of the animal model in the research.

Areas covered: In this review, the authors focus on mammalian models developed to study the impact of drug treatments on human heart failure. Furthermore, the authors address human patient variability and animal model invariability as well as the considerations that need to be made regarding choice of species. Finally, the authors discuss some of the most common models for the two most prominent human heart failure etiologies; increased load on the heart and myocardial ischemia.

Expert opinion: In the authors’ opinion, the data generated by drug studies is often heavily impacted by the choice of species and the physiologically relevant conditions under which the data are collected. Approaches that use multiple models and are not restricted to small rodents but involve some verification on larger mammals or on human myocardium, are needed to advance drug discovery for the very large patient population that suffers from heart failure.