Self-help: Effectiveness of Audiovisual Self-Help Material on Sexual Problems: A Controlled Study

Effectiveness of Audiovisual Self-Help Material on Sexual Problems: A Controlled Study, Alfons Vansteenwegen and Goedele Liekens, Institute of Family and Sexuality Studies, Belgium We investigated the effect of audiovisual therapy material on individuals with orgasmic dysfunction, erectile dysfunction, and premature ejaculation, without contact with a therapist. In the experimental group (n = 138), each had an audiovisual self-help program at their disposal at home, consisting of four lessons with illustrated exercises. The control group consisted of individuals of the same group at random on a waiting list (n = 77). With the inter-phase of four months, both groups filled out 5 scales (ILKS, NSMS-2, BP, M/VOK, M/VSM) focusing on how sexuality was experienced. A repeated-measures analysis of variance delivered only three significant results. In comparison with the control group, performance anxiety and embarrassment decreased in a significant way in the experimental group with premature ejaculation. Men with erectile dysfunction were significantly more receptive to sexual fantasies and erotic stimulation. Women with orgasmic dysfunction experienced positive results on the value they gave to non-demanding sexual actions (foreplay). Overall, sexual self-help videos had an extremely small effect on sexual dysfunctions. COPYRIGHT 2006 Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality, Inc. COPYRIGHT 2006 Gale Group