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Completed

NCT Number: NCT05572372

Effects of an ACT-based Psychological Treatment in Patients With Hypersexuality

Investigation of the efficacy of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for the psychological treatment of hypersexuality.

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Key information

Conditions

Compulsive Sexual Behavior Behavior Behavior, Addictive Compulsive Behavior Compulsive Sexual Behavior Disorder Hypersexuality Impulsive Behavior Mental Disorders Sexual Dysfunctions, Psychological Sexual and Gender Disorders

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Universidad Europea de Madrid

Villaviciosa de Odón, Madrid, 28670, Spain

About this study

After being informed about the study, all patients giving written informed consent will be assessed to determine eligibility for study entry.

Patients who meet eligibility requirements will receive psychological intervention consisting in an 8-session individual on line-delivered ACT-based treatment.

The participants will be assessed through self-report instruments before and after treatment and at 3 months follow-up.

The clinical trial will not include a control group.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • older than 18 years-old
  • Spanish speaking
  • having had a sexual relationship in the last year
  • significant score on the HBI Inventory (of 53 or more)
  • at least 6 months of problematic pornography use or sexual practices
  • clinically significant discomfort related to sexual practices
  • degree of interference in his/her life of sexual practices greater than or equal to 5 out of 10
  • at least one failure in his attempts to change his sexual life
  • desire to improve/reduce excessive sexual behaviour

Exclusion criteria

  • practicing meditation at least once a week in the last three months
  • receiving psychological or psychopharmacological treatment
  • intellectual disability
  • substance dependence (use not associated with sex)
  • personality disorder or other serious or chronic mental disorder diagnosed

Treatment and study plan

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

Behavioral

The aim of the intervention was to increase psychological flexibility. Therapeutic methods focused on values clarification, cognitive defusion, self-as-context, acceptance, commited action and flexible attention to present moment.

Primary outcomes

  1. Change in Hypersexual Behavior Inventory (HBI)

    Time frame: Change from Baseline Hypersexuality at 5 months

    The Hypersexual Behavior Inventory is a 19-item, seven-point Likert-type scale. Scores range between 19 and 95. Higher scores indicate higher levels of Hypersexuality and worse outcome. García-Barba et al. (2020) consider the presence of a problem of hypersexuality when the score is equal or higher than 53.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Change in Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (AAQ-II)

    Time frame: Change from Baseline psychological inflexibilty at 5 months

    Acceptance and Action Questionnaire assesses psychological inflexibility. It is a 7-item, seven-point Likert-type scale. Scores range between 7 and 49. Higher scores indicate higher levels of psychological inflexibility and worse outcome.

  2. Change in Cognitive Fusion Questionnaire (CFQ)

    Time frame: Change from Baseline cognitive fusion at 5 months

    Cognitive Fusion Questionnaire assesses cognitive fusion. It is a 7-item, seven-point Likert-type scale. Scores range between 7 and 49. Higher the score in the questionnaire, the higher the tendency to believe the literal content of private events (higher levels of cognitive fusion and worse outcome).

  3. Change in Scale of Body Connection (SBC)

    Time frame: Change from Baseline body awareness at 5 months

    Scale of Body Connection assesses Body Awareness (the capacity to be aware of body states, processes and actions, paying attention to the internal experience of the body) and Bodily Dissociation (avoidance of body experiences). It is a 20-item, 7-point Likert-type scale. Scores in Body Awareness scale range between 0 and 48. Higher scores indicate higher levels of body awareness and better outcome. Scores in Bodily Dissociation scale range between 0 and 32. Higher scores indicate higher levels of bodily dissociation and worse outcome.

  4. Change in Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS)

    Time frame: Change from Baseline mindufullness skills at 5 months

    Mindful Attention Awareness Scale assesses mindfulness skills. It is a 15-item 6-point scale. Scores range between 1 and 6. Higher scores indicate a higher degree of attention to the present moment and a better outcome.

  5. Change in The New Sexual Satisfaction Scale-short form (NSSS-S)

    Time frame: Change from Baseline sexual satisfaction at 5 months

    he New Sexual Satisfaction Scale assesses sexual satisfaction. It is a 12-item, 7-point Likert-type scale. Scores range between 12 and 60. Higher scores indicate a higher degree of sexual satisfaction and a better outcome.

  6. Change in Intensity of cravings subjective scale

    Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 5 months

    Global self-assessment of intensity of cravings VAS-ratings. Scores range from 0 = very low intensity to 10 = very high intensity. Higher scores indicate higher levels of intensity of cravings and worse outcome.

  7. Change in Interference of cravings subjective scale

    Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 5 months

    Global self-assessment of interference of cravings VAS-ratings. Scores range from 0 = very low interference to 10 = very high interference. Higher scores indicate higher levels of interference of cravings and worse outcome.

  8. Change in Time spent planning or practicing sex per week

    Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 5 months

    Self-monitoring: Time spent (hours) planning or practicing sex during last week. Higher number of hours indicate worse outcome.

  9. Change in number of sexual encounters per week

    Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 5 months

    Self-monitoring: Number of sexual encounters during last week. Higher number of sexual encounters indicate worse outcome.

  10. Change in Frequency of chemsex encounters per week

    Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 5 months

    Self-monitoring: Frequency of practicing chemsex during last week. Higher number of chemsex encounters indicate worse outcome.

  11. Change in number of different sexual partners per week

    Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 5 months

    Self-monitoring: Number of different sexual partners during last week. Higher number of different sexual partners indicate worse outcome.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Universidad Europea de Madrid

Other

Collaborators

  • apoyopositivo.org

Registry information

Official study title

Psychological Treatment of Hypersexuality: a Clinical Trial With Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

Important dates

Study start
2022
Primary completion
2022
Study completion
2022
First posted
Oct 7, 2022
Registry last updated
May 11, 2023

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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