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Completed

NCT Number: NCT01690897

Randomized Comparison of Mindfulness Versus Group Support for Treatment of Low Sexual Desire in Women

The purpose of this study is to determine whether an 8-session mindfulness-based intervention (MBCT group) is effective for women with low sexual interest/desire in reducing sexual distress, improving their sexual response, and increasing their mindful skills, compared to a support group.

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Key information

Conditions

Low Female Sexual Desire

Age range

19 year–65 year

Sex eligibility

Female

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Department of Gynaecology

Vancouver, British Columbia, V5Z 1M9, Canada

About this study

HYPOTHESES:

  • Compared to baseline, the MBCT group will have significant post-treatment improvements in self-report measures of: (a) sexual distress; (b) sexual desire, subjective sexual arousal, perception of genital arousal, and sexual pleasure; (c) relationship satisfaction; (d) depressive symptoms and rumination; (e) perceived stress, general anxiety, anxiety sensitivity, and sexuality-related situational anxiety (as self-reported at the sexual arousal assessment); and (f) mindfulness, self-compassion, non-attachment, and interoceptive awareness.
  • Compared to baseline, the MBCT group will have significant post-treatment improvements in laboratory physiological measures of: (a) genital sexual response as measured by a vaginal photoplethysmograph, (b) interoceptive awareness, as measured by a heart rate perception task, and (c) cortisol:DHEA ratio as measured by hormonal assays of saliva samples.
  • We hypothesize that the changes in the endpoints listed in #1 or #2 will be significantly greater in the MBCT group than in the support group.
  • We hypothesize that participation in the MBCT group will significantly increase concordance between genital and subjective sexual arousal.
  • Mindfulness, self-compassion, and interoceptive awareness will significantly mediate improvements in sexual distress and desire in the MBCT group at all post-treatment assessment points.
  • Expectations of change with treatment will not significantly moderate improvements in sexual distress and desire in the MBCT group.
  • Participants' impressions of change will be significantly greater in the MBCT group compared to the support group at all post-treatment assessment points.
  • We hypothesize that participants will experience fewer breaks in the sexual response cycle throughout the course of the eight-week treatment.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

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

Inclusion criteria

  • must be experiencing distressing sexual interest/desire and/or sexual arousal concerns
  • must between the ages of 19 - 65
  • must be fluent in English

Exclusion criteria

  • not experiencing distressing sexual interest/desire and/or sexual arousal concerns
  • not between the ages of 19-65
  • unable to read, write, speak and understand English

Treatment and study plan

Mindfulness-based treatment

Behavioral

The mindfulness-based treatment for the MBCT group treatment consists of eight 2-hour long weekly sessions, based on a variety of empirically supported techniques, and integrates elements of education, mindfulness skills, and sex therapy. In addition, participants are also given handouts and asked to complete approximately 10-60 minutes/day of at-home practice/skills, which may include reading material, mindfulness exercises, and behavioural exercises between sessions.

Sex therapy, education, and support treatment

Behavioral

The sex therapy, education, and support group will consist of all of the same techniques and materials in the MBCT group except for the mindfulness components in group sessions and at-home practices.

Primary outcomes

  1. Female Sexual Distress Scale-Revised (FSDS-R)

    Time frame: 2-4 weeks post treatment (10-12 weeks after start of treatment), 6 months post (approx 8 months after start), and 12 months post (approx 14 months after start of treatment). Assessments completed past 1 year were due to personal delays by co-investigator.

    Sexual distress will be measured with the revised version of the Female Sexual Distress Scale-R (Derogatis et al., 2008). Scores on the scale range from 0 - 48, where higher scores represent higher levels of distress.

  2. Sexual Interest and Desire Inventory (SIDI)

    Time frame: 2-4 weeks post treatment (10-12 weeks after start of treatment), 6 months post (approx 8 months after start), and 12 months post (approx 14 months after start of treatment). Assessments completed past 1 year were due to personal delays by co-investigator.

    The Sexual Interest and Desire Inventory (SIDI; Clayton et al. 2006) will be used to measure sexual desire. Possible total scores range from 0 - 51, with higher scores indicating higher levels of sexual functioning.

  3. Rumination

    Time frame: 2-4 weeks post treatment (10-12 weeks after start of treatment), 6 months post (approx 8 months after start), and 12 months post (approx 14 months after start of treatment). Assessments completed past 1 year were due to personal delays by co-investigator.

    Rumination was measured with the Rumination-Reflection Questionnaire - Adapted Rumination Subscale (adapted from Trapnell & Campbell, 1999 to inquire about sexuality-related rumination). Likert scale 1 - 5 with higher score indicating higher rumination.

  4. Relationship Assessment Scale (RAS)

    Time frame: 2-4 weeks post treatment (10-12 weeks after start of treatment), 6 months post (approx 8 months after start), and 12 months post (approx 14 months after start of treatment). Assessments completed past 1 year were due to personal delays by co-investigator.

    Relationship satisfaction will be measured with the Relationship Assessment Scale (Hendrick, 1988). Scoring: Add each item score and divide by 7 to get a mean score. Higher score relates to higher satisfaction. Minimum mean score 1, maximum score 5.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Subjective Sexual Arousal

    Time frame: Up to 2 mos pre-treatment, 2-4 weeks post treatment (10-12 weeks after treatment start), 6 months post (approx 8 months after start), and 12 months post (approx 14 months after start). Assessments completed past 1 year were due to personal delays by Co-I

    Subjects will indicate their levels of subjective arousal while undergoing arousal testing. A device manufactured for the UBC Sexual Health Lab called the "arousometer"- a computer mouse mounted on a metal track divided into 10 equally spaced intervals corresponding to "sexually turned off" (-2) to "the most sexually aroused you have ever been or could imagine being" (7). This device allows continuous self-report measurement of subjective sexual arousal while viewing the erotic films.

  2. Interoceptive Awareness

    Time frame: Up to 2 mos pre-treatment, 2-4 weeks post treatment (10-12 weeks after treatment start), 6 months post (approx 8 months after start), and 12 months post (approx 14 months after start). Assessments completed past 1 year were due to personal delays by Co-I

    Interoceptive awareness will be measured using the Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness (MAIA; Mehling et al., 2012) questionnaire. Possible range of scores 0 - 5. Higher score means higher awareness.

  3. Physiological Sexual Arousal

    Time frame: Up to 2 mos pre-treatment, 2-4 weeks post treatment (10-12 weeks after treatment start), 6 months post (approx 8 months after start), and 12 months post (approx 14 months after start). Assessments completed past 1 year were due to personal delays by Co-I

    Physiological sexual arousal will be measured with a Vaginal Photoplethysmograph (VPP) during exposure to erotic films. The VPP measures vaginal pulse amplitude (VPA) which has been found to be a sensitive and specific measure of genital arousal (Laan & Everaerd, 1995). There is no threashold on the millivolts (MV) reading.

  4. Stress Hormone Cortisol Slope

    Time frame: Up to 2 mos pre-treatment, 2-4 weeks post treatment (10-12 weeks after treatment start), 6 months post (approx 8 months after start), and 12 months post (approx 14 months after start). Assessments completed past 1 year were due to personal delays by Co-I

    The diurnal cortisol slope is the difference in cortisol levels from morning to evening (PM minus AM). To assay salivary cortisol concentrations, samples were vortexed and centrifuged at 1,400 g for 10 minutes at 18°C. Salivary cortisol was measured using the commercially available High Sensitivity Salivary Cortisol Enzyme Immunoassay Kit (Salimetrics Assays, 1-3002, State College, PA) according to the standard protocol. The minimum amount of saliva required by this assay is 25 μl, and intra- and inter-assay coefficients of variation were 4.6% and 6.0%, respectively.

Other outcomes

  1. Depression

    Time frame: Up to 2 mos pre-treatment, 2-4 weeks post treatment (10-12 weeks after treatment start), 6 months post (approx 8 months after start), and 12 months post (approx 14 months after start). Assessments completed past 1 year were due to personal delays by Co-I

    Depression is measured with the Hamilton Depression Scale - Short Form (McIntyre et al., 2005). Seven questions on a scale of 0 - 4 with higher score meaning higher depression. Totals are summed with a possible range of scores from 0 - 28.

  2. Mindfulness

    Time frame: Up to 2 mos pre-treatment, 2-4 weeks post treatment (10-12 weeks after treatment start), 6 months post (approx 8 months after start), and 12 months post (approx 14 months after start). Assessments completed past 1 year were due to personal delays by Co-I

    Mindfulness will be measured with the Five Factor Mindfulness questionnaire (Baer, Smith, Hopkins, Krietemeyer & Tony, 2006). Questions are answered on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1 to 5. Possible range of scores 39 to 195 with higher score meaning higher mindfulness.

  3. Perceived Stress

    Time frame: Up to 2 mos pre-treatment, 2-4 weeks post treatment (10-12 weeks after treatment start), 6 months post (approx 8 months after start), and 12 months post (approx 14 months after start). Assessments completed past 1 year were due to personal delays by Co-I

    Perceived stress will be measured with the Perceived Stress Scale (Cohen, Kamarck, & Mermelstein, 1983). Questions are likert scale from 0 - 4. Possible range of scores 0 - 40 with higher score indicating higher stress.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of British Columbia

Other

Registry information

Acronym: DESIRE

Important dates

Study start
2015
Primary completion
2019
Study completion
2020
First posted
Sep 24, 2012
Registry last updated
Dec 13, 2024

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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