Mindfulness as Treatment of Sexological Problems

Summary

The primary aim of this study is to test Mindfulness in Sex Therapy and Intimate Relationships (MSIR) as an add-on treatment to sex therapy in a clinical sample of patients referred with sexual problems, controlling for time effect, with a treatment as usual activity group.

The secondary aim is to investigate the effect of MSIR alone on sexual dysfunction compared to treatment-as-usual (TAU).

It is hypothesized that the MSIR group, in preceding the usual TAU intervention, will achieve greater benefits in relation to sexual functioning outcomes as measured by subjective and objective measures. The investigators expect that MSIR will help the patients to cultivate accept and body awareness, which will create a wider sense of safety and stability that might help integrating the assistant provided by the traditional approach to the treatment of sexual dysfunctions. It is hypothesized that the intervention (MSIR+TAU) reduces the amount of TAU sessions needed in order to achieve a benefit in terms of the patient's sexual dysfunction.

It is furthermore, hypothesized that the intervention (MSIR) alone will have a positive effect on the sexual dysfunction.

The research project outlines a pragmatic pilot randomized control trial to evaluate MSIR treatment as an add-on to the treatment-as-usual (TAU) compared to TAU for sexual difficulties in men and women.

Conditions

• Sexual Dysfunction
• Sexual Dysfunctions, Psychological
• Sexual Dysfunctions, Physiological

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Mindfulness in Sex Therapy and Intimate Relationships (MSIR)

Mindfulness is a mental discipline inviting intentional, non-judgmental attending of the stream of experience. Mindfulness can be seen as an adjunct to sexual therapy. Firstly, it is a way of teaching the patients and the couples to carry out sensate focus so that it can achieve its goals. Beyond this, Mindfulness may invite a stance to one's own and a partner's physical and emotional experience that is more widely beneficial. The MSIR intervention was originally developed from the Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) protocol and consists of: Week 1: Moving into the Body Week 2: Sensing \& Exploring Week 3: Avoidance \& Intimacy- Midway individual session. Week 4: Recognising our automatic mind Week 5: Spacious Awareness Week 6: Expanding new learning

BEHAVIORAL

Treatment-as-usual

The current treatment in Sexological Clinic is an eclectic, synthetic therapy form conducted by psychiatrists, other medical doctors, psychologists and bodytherapists. In order to implement the bio-psycho-social character of sexual dysfunctions, the current treatment takes advantage of different elements from different therapy forms combined with pharmacological treatment if necessary. The integrated treatment combines elements from therapy's such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), psychodynamic therapy and systemic therapy together with Master and Johnson's sensate focus training, body exercises training as pelvis floor exercises, introduction of sexual aids and if necessary pharmacological treatment. The therapy can be individual treatment, couple therapy (marital therapy) or group therapy.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Den Owesenske Fond

  collaborator UNKNOWN

• Mental Health Services in the Capital Region, Denmark

  lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

NONE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

20 Years

Max Age

65 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2018-07-25

Primary Completion

2022-12-01

Completion

2022-12-19

Countries

• Denmark

Study Locations