A Randomized, Waiting-List-Controlled Study Shows That Brief, Mindfulness-Based Psychological Interventions Are Effective for Treatment of Women's Low Sexual Desire. Issue 7 (2nd September 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Gunst, Annika; Ventus, Daniel; Arver, Stefan; Dhejne, Cecilia; Görts-Öberg, Katarina; Zamore-Söderström, Elin; Jern, Patrick
• Is Part Of: Journal of sex research. Volume 56:Issue 7(2019)
• Page Start: 913
• Page End: 929
• Publication Date: 2019-09-02
• Subjects: Sexology -- Research -- Periodicals; Sex -- Periodicals; Psychiatry -- Periodicals; Sex; Psychiatry; 306.705
• DOI: 10.1080/00224499.2018.1539463
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0022-4499

Abstract

Abstract : We evaluated two treatment conditions for low sexual desire in women: one where participants were administered a mindfulness-based treatment protocol and another with exercises focusing on scheduled sex and motivations for sex in addition to the aforementioned protocol. Seventy women (Mage 39.2, SD = 9.8) with complaints of low sexual desire were randomly allocated to one of these treatment conditions or a waiting-list condition. Participants attended four individual sessions and completed homework exercises. Questionnaire data were collected before and after treatment and at follow-ups three and six months later. Primary outcomes were the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) desire subdomain and the Sexual Interest and Desire Inventory–Female (SIDI-F). Secondary outcomes were the Female Sexual Distress Scale–Revised (FSDS-R), the Revised Dyadic Adjustment Scale (RDAS), the Perceived Relationship Quality Components Inventory (PRQC), and the Brief Symptom Inventory–18 (BSI-18). Women in both treatment conditions reported significantly higher sexual desire (FSFI desire d = 0.75 to 1.06) immediately following treatment, compared to the waiting list. Improvements were sustained at follow-up, accompanied by improvements in some secondary outcomes. We found no significant differences between the treatment conditions in terms of treatment effectiveness. Our study adds to the literature suggesting that mindfulness-based treatments are suitable options for treating low sexual desire in women.