Chronotype is associated with acquired premature ejaculation: evidence from moderated mediation analysis

Area of Science:

• Male sexual health
• Chronobiology
• Behavioral science

Background:

• Acquired premature ejaculation (APE) is a common male sexual dysfunction impacting quality of life.
• The etiology of APE is not fully understood, despite identified risk factors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between chronotype (an individual's natural inclination towards specific sleep-and-wake times) and APE.
• To examine the mediating role of health-promoting lifestyle (HPL) and the moderating effect of illness perception in the chronotype-APE relationship.

Main Methods:

• A study involving 516 men with APE and 495 healthy controls.
• Participants completed validated questionnaires assessing APE, chronotype, HPL, and illness perception.
• Moderated mediation analysis was employed to explore underlying mechanisms in APE patients.

Main Results:

• An evening chronotype was significantly associated with both the presence and increased severity of APE.
• Health-promoting lifestyle (HPL) partially mediated the relationship between chronotype and APE severity.
• Illness perception moderated the associations between chronotype and HPL, and between HPL and APE.

Conclusions:

• Chronotype, HPL, and illness perception are significant factors in understanding and potentially managing APE.
• Integrating these factors into clinical assessments may enhance the understanding of ejaculatory control in men with APE.