Marco Is Complaining of Trouble Achieving and Maintaining an Erection

Marco is complaining of trouble achieving and maintaining an erection during sexual intercourse. In therapy, he reports that he has always felt unwanted and inadequate, and Marco's therapist wonders whether Marco has transferred these beliefs about himself in general to sexual situations in particular, causing performance problems. If so, these beliefs would be considered

A) automatic thoughts.
B) defense mechanisms.
C) protective factors.
D) sexual self-schemas.