Sex therapy for erectile dysfunction: characteristics of couples, treatment outcome, and prognostic factors

Outcome and prognostic factors were studied in 36 couples who entered sex therapy because of the male partners' erectile dysfunction. Treatment was completed by two thirds. Noncompletion was associated with lower socioeconomic status, the female partner having a history of psychiatric treatment, pretreatment poorer motivation of the male partner, poor communication in the general relationship, and less sexual pleasure experienced by the female. A positive treatment outcome occurred in 69.4%, and was associated with better pretreatment communication and general sexual adjustment, especially the female partner's interest and enjoyment of sex, absence of a positive psychiatric history in the female partner, and a couple's early engagement in homework assignments. Results highlight important aspects of the initial assessment, indicate couples for whom the initial phase of treatment should be prolonged and modified or an alternative approach considered, and have implications for assignment of couples to treatment groups in evaluative studies of therapy.