The effectiveness of sex therapy for chronic secondary psychological impotence

Abstract

This paper describes the treatment results of sexual therapy with 16 couples. The men had chronic secondary psychological impotence. They were evaluated, treated, and followed up by the same sex therapist. Another psychiatrist evaluated each couple after therpay. Pre- and posttherapy Sexual Interaction inventories were administered as numberical measures of therapeutic effectiveness. By the end of treatment 6 men of the 16 were consistently potent and 4 were potent at least half of the time. Of the 11 men who had improved, 10 demonstrated considerable instability in erectile functioning over 1-year follow-up. Sex therapy can improve sexual functioning. However, it does not restore complete sexual health to couples with this complicated disorder.