Clinical outcomes of a new self-help booklet for premature ejaculation

Premature ejaculation (PE) is quite common. Although effective treatments do exist, only a few affected people consult a practitioner in order to overcome their problem. At the same time, studies have shown that reading didactical documents about their PE problem (bibliotherapy) can be useful to men.

The aim of this study was to improve the bibliotherapy approach using up-to-date knowledge and techniques. The expected benefits were the following: (i) an effective manual shorter than previous ones; (ii) easier to assimilate therapeutic principles; and (iii) a method thereby made accessible to a broad population most of whom usually do not consult for this type of sexual problem.

A short bibliotherapy titled The Practical Guide of PE[in French] was tested among PE subjects who were diagnosed with PE according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition, text revision criteria. Assessments were made at baseline (N = 421), at 4-8 months (N = 120), and at 10-14 months (N = 79) after they read The Practical Guide. A control group of 66 subjects was left on a waiting list and was assessed 2 months after baseline.

The main outcome measures are self-reported ejaculatory latency time, feeling of control upon ejaculation, sexual satisfaction, distress related to PE, anxiety experienced during sexual intercourse, and sexual cognitions (Sexual Irrationality Questionnaire).

Significant improvements were found for all the self-reported parameters, both at 4-8 and at 10-14 months after the bibliotherapy. The improvements were associated with an adjustment of sexual cognitions. The response to treatment seemed better for those subjects with moderate PE. Although the severity criteria used in this study did not precisely meet the International Society for Sexual Medicine criteria for lifelong PE, they were likely related. The response did not seem to be affected by variables such as age, education, or personality.

Its cost/benefit ratio makes The Practical Guide a valuable therapeutic tool.