JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Emotion regulation interventions may offer a promising approach to improve sexual health. Internet-based emotion regulation may be a therapeutic strategy for men and women with sexual health concerns. Nevertheless, there is a scarcity of intervention trials investigating their effects in this context, much less using the Internet.

Objective:

To investigate the effects of an Internet-based emotion regulation training for sexual health in men and women.

Methods:

Participants were recruited based on their self-reported sexual problems, which for men was defined by a score of < 25 on the International Index Erectile Function (IIEF) and for women by a score of < 26.5 on the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI). The final sample included 60 participants who were randomized to either an Internet-based emotion regulation training for sexual health or to a waitlist control group. Treatment consisted of an 8-week Internet-based emotion regulation training for sexual health. Participants were assessed at baseline, post-intervention and at 3-months follow-up.

Results:

Of the 60 participants included, only six participants completed all three assessment points (n = 5 in the treatment group, n = 1 in the waitlist control group after receiving the intervention). At follow-up, there were no significant differences between groups in any measure. Among the intervention completers large to moderate within-group effect sizes were observed between assessment points on measures of emotion regulation, depression, lubrication, orgasm and thoughts of sexual failure and abuse during sexual activity. Adherence rate was very low limiting the generalizability of the findings.

Conclusions:

Completers of the intervention presented improvements both in sexual health domains as well as in emotion regulation. Nonetheless, due to a high drop-out rate, the present trial failed to collect sufficient data to allow for any conclusions to be drawn on treatment effects. Clinical Trial: NCT04792177