Recorded: The Great P*rn Debate

**This course will provide the participant with 2 General Learning Type BACB CEU**

Description of General Learning Type CE Event: P*rnography has become one of the most common reasons a Behavioral Sexologist may be asked to come in with a Sexual Behavior Analysis (SBA) intervention. Many people will claim to be addicted to p*rn, and many online sources and even academic articles support this notion. However, many don’t…and have actually purported that the addiction model may be not only inappropriate but also contributing to and compounding the issue. In this unique offering for the field of Behavior Analysis, we will be exploring both sides of the debate, with a recognition that this is still a debate and nothing has been set in stone. Practical applications of the current best practice research will also be addressed, and participants will have a potential entirely behavioral framework for which to assist (with additional training, of course) clients who believe themselves to be p*rn addicted. This presentation is also aligned with “Real VS Perceived Addictions,” so keep your eye out for that one as well!

Instructor Bio: Nicholas Maio-Aether owns Empowered: A Center for Sexuality in St Louis, where he and his occasional teams of partnered Universities' students work to assist humans with and without disabilities achieve sexual access, sexual freedom, gender affirmation, and self-control of compulsive behaviors. Nicholas works throughout the US training BCBAs/Behavior Analysts so persons in Individualized Supportive Living (ISL) programs gain access to applicable and generalizable comprehensive sex ed and sexual opportunities. Nicholas provides Sexual Behavior Analysis, and has assisted polycules, kinksters, gay couples, trans and nonbinary humans, among others, on their journeys. Trained by GLSEN in 2003, Nicholas started Gay-Straight Alliances across Alaska while in high school, and provided them sex ed materials and trainings. Nicholas spent five years managing Hustler Hollywood in St Louis before moving into Behavior Analysis, and joined AASECT, where he currently sits on two committees. He then completed a Sex Therapy practicum under Linda Weiner, LMSW, CSTS, in 2019 before getting a second Masters in Marriage & Family Therapy, and meeting those hour requirements under Angela Skurtu, LMFT, CST, along with his LGBTQIA+ Family Systems Specialist certificate in 2021.

Target Audience: Anyone involved in ABA in any capacity; p*rn is everywhere on the Internet, so it is likely all clients are exposed at some point -- do you know how to handle it if they begin to show signs of cyclical -- or “addictive” -- behavior?

Learning Objectives for Participants: As a result of this course participants will be able to …

• Acknowledge the current climate re: research & practice, as well as social issues, surrounding porn
• Effectively describe the relationships between conservative religiosity (a repertoire of values, beliefs and behaviors) and moral incongruence
• Define moral incongruence and explain how it provides insight into the function and reinforcement patterns of compulsive sexual behaviors
• Distinguish between compulsive sexual behavior and distress related to moral incongruence (i.e., perceived “sex addiction”)
• Apply this knowledge toward potential clinical application in a group facilitated discussion

To earn credit, you will be required to attend the live online session and pass a quiz about it with a score of 100%. You can retake the quiz as many times as needed, but you may not receive exactly the same questions each time.