Culture and Sexuality

Sexuality is heavily influenced by a variety of sociocultural factors such as sexual orientation, race, gender, and religion; thus, sexuality and culture are inherently linked. Utilizing a sociocultural lens to examine sexuality can positively impact therapeutic assessment, alliance building, and treatment planning. Culture has the potential to influence the etiology of sexual problems in complex ways that are crucial to the creation of effective treatment. Client attitudes and expectations around sex and sexuality are strongly influenced by cultural factors. Since cultural influences will impact the viability of different treatment options in sex therapy, clinicians must be sensitive to the sociocultural needs of their clients. This chapter describes the sociocultural impact on sexuality and considers the cultural contexts for assessment and treatment of sexual issues.