The effect of marital therapy on inhibited sexual desire: An outcome study.

Abstract

A total of 49 couples, in which the women were experiencing inhibited sexual desire (ISD), were randomly assigned to Emotionally Focused Therapy for Couples (EFT) or a wait-list control group condition. An additional 15 couples were recruited as a non-ISD comparison sample. The purpose of the study was to investigate the effect of marital therapy (EFT) on ISD, and examine differences between ISD and non-ISD couples. At post-treatment, EFT couples' levels of marital and overall sexual adjustment were not significantly different from those of the control group following the wait-list period. On a measure of sexual desire, however, treatment group females had post-treatment levels of sexual desire that were significantly higher than those of control group females following the wait-list period. In most areas assessed, treatment group levels of clinically significant improvement were found to be superior to those of the control group. Treatment group within-group gains from pre-treatment to post-treatment were largely maintained at follow-up. For Treatment females, better pre-treatment marital adjustment predicted better post-treatment overall sexual adjustment. The main difference found between ISD couples and non-ISD couples was that ISD couples had significantly more sexual distress. Results are discussed in light of an interpersonal conceptualization of ISD.