A field trial of the effectiveness of behavioral treatment for sexual dysfunctions

The present study was a field trial of behavioral sex therapy for 365 married couples presenting with a range of sexual dysfunctions. Treatment occurred at an outpatient sexual dysfunction clinic of a large medical center using a multidisciplinary staff. Findings supported the external validity of behavioral sex therapy. The success rate for the total sample (65%) was comparable to that of previous investigations, and there were very few dropouts (1.6%) from treatment. In addition, outcomes did not vary significantly as a function of diagnoses, gender, or a history of sexual abuse. The amount of sensate focus completed in the last week of treatment was the strongest predictor of successful treatment. For some diagnoses, however, couple comorbidity reduced treatment success. Results indicated that behavioral sex therapy is effective in real-world clinical settings.