By John M. de Castro, Ph.D.
“A key factor in having better sex is actually being there when you’re having it. Being there not just physically — being fully present, in thought, word and deed. it’s about really showing up and tuning in, to the moment, yourself and your partner.” – Marsha Lucas
Problems with sex are very common, but, with the exception of male erectile dysfunction, driven by the pharmaceutical industry, it is rarely discussed and there is little research. The Puritanical attitudes toward sex in the U.S., in particular, produce inhibitions toward overt explorations of the issues surrounding sex. But, these problems have a major impact on people’s lives and deserve far more attention. While research suggests that sexual dysfunction is common, it is a topic that many people are hesitant or embarrassed to discuss. Women suffer from sexual dysfunction more than men with 43% of women and 31% of men reporting some degree of difficulty. It is amazing that such an important human behavior is can be problematic for so many people without an outcry for more study and research.
Problems with sex with women can involve reduced sex drive, difficulty becoming aroused, vaginal dryness, lack of orgasm and decreased sexual satisfaction. Sexual function in women involves many different systems in the body, including physical, psychological and hormonal factors. So, although, female sexual dysfunction is often caused by physical/medical problems, it is also frequently due to psychological issues. This implies that it many cases may be treated with activities that are effective in working with psychological problems. Mindfulness trainings have been shown to improve a variety of psychological issues including emotion regulation, stress responses, trauma, fear and worry, anxiety, and depression, and self-esteem. So, perhaps mindfulness training could help resolve psychological issues that might be affecting sexual behavior. Hence, it would make sense to investigate the effectiveness of mindfulness training as a treatment for female sexual dysfunction.
In today’s Research News article “A Pilot Study of Eight-Session Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy Adapted for Women’s Sexual Interest/ Arousal Disorder.” See:
or see summary below. Paterson, Handy, and Brotto recruited women who were diagnosed with Sexual Interest/Arousal Disorder (SIAD) and provided for them an 8-week program of group Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy adapted for sexual issues (MBCT-S). This program included mindfulness training, cognitive therapy, and sex therapy. Before and after treatment they were assessed for sexual interest, sex-related distress, overall sexual function, mindfulness, self-compassion, interoceptive awareness, depression, rumination, anxiety, and treatment expectations. They found that following treatment the women had significant improvements in overall sexual function (26%), sexual desire (60%), sex-related distress (20%). There were also significant improvements in mindfulness, interoceptive awareness, depression, rumination, and anxiety. In addition, they found that the improvement in overall sexual function was due, in part, to the treatment producing increased mindfulness and self-compassion, and decreased depression. So, MBCT-S improved the psychological and sexual health of the women.
These are interesting and potentially important preliminary findings. This was a small trial without a control condition, so conclusions need to be tempered with the understanding that the significant differences between before and after treatment may be due to experimental contamination including placebo effects. In addition, it cannot be determined if the effects may have been produced by any kind of therapy and not necessarily MBCT-S. Indeed, before the therapy commenced that participants expressed moderate expectations of treatment success, suggesting significant subject expectancy effects that could make any program appear successful. But, regardless, the outcomes were compelling enough to justify performing a large randomized controlled trial.
Nevertheless, the results may indicate that mindfulness based therapy tailored for sexual dysfunction may be a safe and effective means to treat Sexual Interest/Arousal Disorder (SIAD). Sex is very important in relationships and, to some extent, bonding and holding partners together. It can also be very important for the individual’s mental and physical well-being and feelings of self-worth. So, addressing sexual issues is important for the health of the individual and the family and these results suggest that MBCT-S may be a safe and effective treatment.
So, improve sexual function with mindfulness.
CMCS – Center for Mindfulness and Contemplative Studies
“Sexual health is an integral component of quality of life and sexual dysfunction impacts mood, well-being, relationship satisfaction, and many domains of quality of life. Improvements in sexual functioning can positively impact each of these domains.” – Lori Brotto
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Study Summary
Laurel Q. P. Paterson, Ariel B. Handy & Lori A. Brotto (2016): A Pilot Study of Eight-Session Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy Adapted for Women’s Sexual Interest/ Arousal Disorder, The Journal of Sex Research, DOI: 10.1080/00224499.2016.1208800
Abstract
While few treatment options exist for low sexual desire and arousal, the most common sexual dysfunction in women, a growing body of research supports the efficacy of mindfulness-based approaches. The mechanisms underlying improvements, and whether they are due to mindfulness practice or other treatment components, are unclear. As a result, we designed and pilot-tested an eight-session group mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for sexuality (MBCT-S) program that includes more extensive practice of mindfulness skills and closely aligns with the evidence-based MBCT program for depression and anxiety. A total of 26 women (mean age 43.9, range 25 to 63) with a diagnosis of sexual interest/arousal disorder participated in eight weekly group sessions, before and after which they completed validated questionnaires. The majority of women attended all sessions and completed the recommended at-home mindfulness exercises. Compared to baseline, women reported significant improvements in sexual desire, overall sexual function, and sex-related distress, regardless of treatment expectations, relationship duration, or low desire duration. Depressed mood and mindfulness also significantly improved and mediated increases in sexual function. These pilot data suggest that eight-session MBCT-S is feasible and significantly improves sexual function, and provide the basis for a larger randomized-controlled trial (RCT) with a longer follow-up period.