ABSTRACT

How can we better understand and help people who continue to engage in sexual activity despite negative consequences, when a lack of consensus regarding terminology, definition and conceptualisation has clearly affected operationalisation, measurement and comparability of research results over the past four decades? This chapter argues that, as well as reflecting on the potential causes for this situation, we need to start speaking the same language. The authors suggest the descriptive term ‘problem-causing sexual behaviour’ (PCSB) because it captures the essential consequence of the phenomenon without disrespecting or offending people who are directly affected by it, and because it takes into account most of the critiques.