גבירץ מידן עטרת, פרופ’
Background
Ateret Gewirtz-Meydan is a social worker (MSW) and a certified sex therapist (by the Israel Society of Sex Therapy, ISST). In her PhD dissertation, she explored the role of sexual motives between attachment orientations and pathological narcissism and the sexual function and satisfaction among couples. Since she received her PhD, Dr. Gewirtz-Meydan has completed a post-doctoral fellowship at the Crimes against Children Research Center at the University of New Hampshire, after receiving the prestige Haruv Scholarship. In addition, Dr. Gewirtz-Meydan worked as the director of the sex and couple therapy unit at Meir Medical Hospital. Her research has involved collaborating with leading research groups in order to study sexuality among different populations and advance the science of sex both in Israel and abroad.
Research
Dr. Gewirtz-Meydan’s interests revolve primarily around the psychological and social aspects of human sexuality. Her research is conducted among a variety of populations, including survivors of childhood abuse (sexual, physical and emotional), older adults, adolescence, couples, and individuals with eating disorders. As a certified sex therapist, Dr. Gewirtz-Meydan’s long-term goal is to develop and validate sex therapy interventions that are suitable and effective among populations with different needs.
Publications
Levkovich, I., Gewirtz-Meydan, A., & Ayalon, L., (2020). Communicating with older adults about sexual issues: How are these issues handled by physicians with and without training in sexual functioning? Health & Social Care in the Community.
Gewirtz-Meydan, A. & Lahav, Y. (2020). Childhood sexual abuse and sexual motivations – the role of dissociation. Journal of Sex Research.
Gewirtz-Meydan, A. & Lahav, Y. (2020). Sexual functioning and sexual distress among childhood sexual abuse survivors: The role of post-traumatic stress disorder. Journal of Sexual Medicine.
Gewirtz-Meydan, A. & Ofir-Lavee, S. (2020). Addressing sexual dysfunction after childhood sexual abuse: A clinical approach from an attachment perspective. Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy.
Gewirtz-Meydan, A. & Opuda, E. (2020). The impact of CSA on men’s sexual function: A systematic review. Trauma, Violence & Abuse.
Gewirtz-Meydan, A. & Finzi-Dottan, R. (2020). Psychological abuse as a mediator between insecure attachment orientations and relationship satisfaction: A dyadic perspective. Family Relations.
Gewirtz-Meydan, A. & Lahav, Y. (2020). Attachment and sexual functioning among child sexual abuse survivors. Journal of Sexual Medicine.
Gewirtz-Meydan, A. (2020). The moderating role of social and parental support between sexual abuse, self-concept and psychopathology in a national representative sample of children. Children and Youth Services Review.
Gewirtz-Meydan, A., Levkovich, I., Mock, M., Gur, U., Karkabi, K. & Ayalon, L. (2020). Sex for seniors: How physicians discuss older adult’s sexuality. Israel Journal of Health Policy Research.
Gewirtz-Meydan, A. & Ayalon, L. (2020). “Shades of grey”: Exploring public opinions about later life sexuality. Canadian Journal on Aging/La Revue canadienne du vieillissement.
Ayalon, L., & Gewirtz-Meydan, A. (2019). Physicians’ moral dilemmas in the age of Viagra. Men and Masculinities.
Gewirtz-Meydan, A., Lahav, Y., Walsh, W., & Finkelhor, D. (2019). Psychopathology among adult survivors of child pornography. Child Abuse & Neglect.
O’Brien, J. E., Gewirtz-Meydan, A. & Mitchell, K. J. (2019). Online requests to run away: Prevalence from a nationally representative sample of youth. International Journal of Child Maltreatment.
Gewirtz-Meydan, A., & Finkelhor, D. (2019). Sexual abuse and assault in a large national sample of children and adolescents. Child Maltreatment.
Ayalon, L., Gewirtz-Meydan, A., Levkovich, I., & Karkabi, K. (2019). Older men and women reflect on sexual functioning in later life. Sexual and Relationship Therapy
Levkovich, I., Gewirtz-Meydan, A., Karkabi, K. & Ayalon, L., (2019). When sex meets age: Family physicians’ perspectives about sexual dysfunction among older men and women: A qualitative study from Israel. The European Journal of General Practice.
Ayalon, L., Gewirtz-Meydan, A., Levkovich, I., & Karkabi, K. (2018). Older adults’ coping strategies with changes in sexual functioning: Results from a qualitative research. Journal of Sexual Medicine.
Gewirtz-Meydan, A. & Ayalon, L. (2018). Why do older adults have sex? Approach and avoidance sexual motives in later life. Journal of Sex Research.
Ayalon, L., Levkovich, I., Gewirtz-Meydan, A., & Karkabi, K. (2018). A life course perspective on the ways older men and women discuss sexual issues. Archives of Sexual Behavior.
Weiss-Gal, I., Gal, J., Tayri-Schwartz, T., Gewirtz-Meydan, A. & Sommerfeld, D. (2018). Internal, indirect and role contingent: Social workers’ policy practice in Israel. The European Journal of Social Work.
Levkovich, I., Gewirtz-Meydan, A., Karkabi, K. & Ayalon, L. (2018). Views of family physicians on Heterosexual Sexual Function in Older Adults. BMC Family Practice.
Gewirtz-Meydan, A., Hafford-Letchfield, T., Ayalon, L., Benyamini, Y., Biermann, V., Coffey, A., Jackson, J., Phelan, A., Voß, P., Geiger Zeman, M., Zeman, Z. (2018). How do older people discuss their own sexuality? A systematic review of qualitative research studies. Culture, Health and Sexuality.
Gewirtz-Meydan, A., Mitchell, K. J. & Rothman, E. (2018). What do kids think about sexting? Computers in Human Behavior.
Gewirtz-Meydan, A., Walsh, W. A., Wolak, J. & Finkelhor, D. (2018). The complex experience of child pornography survivors. Child Abuse & Neglect.
Gewirtz-Meydan, A., Even-Zohar, A. & Werner, S. (2018). Examining the attitudes and knowledge of undergraduate social work and nursing students. Canadian Journal on Aging/La Revue canadienne du vieillissement.
Even-Zohar, A., Gewirtz-Meydan, A. & Werner, S. (2018). Ageism, attitudes, and knowledge of nursing and social work students towards sexuality in later life. Gerontology (in Hebrew).
Gewirtz-Meydan, A., Levkovich, I., Mock, M., Gur, U. & Ayalon, L. (2018). Promoting a discussion on sexuality in later life: Lessons from sexologist physicians. Sexual and Relationship Therapy
Gewirtz-Meydan, A., Even-Zohar, A. & Fisch, B. T. (2017). Attitudes and knowledge of social work students towards sexuality in later life. Social Work Education.
Gewirtz-Meydan, A. & Finzi-Dottan, R. (2017). Narcissism and relationship satisfaction from a dyadic perspective: The mediating role of psychological aggression. Marriage & Family Review.
Gewirtz-Meydan, A. & Even- Zohar, A. (2017). Retraining programmes in social work: career considerations, factors influencing the decision to study social work and professional preferences among students. The European Journal of Social Work.
Ayalon, L. & Gewirtz-Meydan, A. (2017). Senior, mature or cougar: A content analysis of dating sites for older adults. Computers in Human Behavior.
Gewirtz-Meydan, A. & Ayalon, L. (2017). Forever young: Visual representation of age and gender in older adults’ online dating sites. Journal of Women & Aging. 1-19.
Gewirtz-Meydan, A. & Finzi-Dottan, R. (2017). Sexual satisfaction among couples: The role of attachment orientation and sexual motives. Journal of Sex Research.
Gewirtz-Meydan, A. (2017). Why do narcissistic individuals engage in sex? Exploring sexual motives as a mediator for sexual satisfaction and function. Personality and Individual Differences, 105, 7-13.
Gewirtz-Meydan, A. & Ayalon, L. (2017). Physicians’ response to sexual dysfunction in younger vs. older adults. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry 32(12), 1476–1483.
Gewirtz-Meydan, A., Gal, J. & Weiss-Gal, I. (2016). Social workers’ policy practice in non-profit human service organizations in Israel. British Journal of Social Work. 1-19.
Even- Zohar, A. & Gewirtz-Meydan, A. (2015). Considerations for choosing social work profession and professional preferences of retraining program students in Israel. Social Security, 97, 121-161. (In Hebrew).
Book chapters
- Gewirtz-Meydan, A., Hafford-Letchfield, T., Benyamini, Y., Phelan, A., Jackson, J. & Ayalon, L. (2018). Ageism and Sexuality. In L. Ayalon & C. Tesch-Roemer (Eds.) The Handbook of Ageism. Springer Publishing.
