The impotent king: secondary impotence refractory to brief sex therapy
Jacobs, L.I.
American Journal of PsychoTherapy 31(1): 97-104
1977
ISSN/ISBN: 0002-9564 PMID: 848614 Document Number: 116968
The common characteristics of 6 cases of secondary impotence that failed to respond to a 15 wk marital sex therapy program were described. The existence of a grandiose concept in the husbands and the increased reluctance of the wives to pay tribute to them without receiving any satisfaction of their own emotional needs were instrumental in triggering and maintaining the erectile problem. Pathological self-esteem operations in their relationship were analyzed. Other forms of impotence, in which the new sex therapy techniques are effective, were delineated and contrasted with the impotent-king syndrome. A successfully resolved case of this syndrome, in which the husband's homosexual activity was a complicating factor, was presented. The alterations in therapy technique used here have implications for other treatment approaches for the impotent-king syndrome.