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Current Women`s Health Reviews

Editor-in-Chief

ISSN (Print): 1573-4048
ISSN (Online): 1875-6581

Research Article

Effectiveness of Relationship Enrichment Program (REP) on Sexual Dysfunction and Satisfaction of Females with Multiple Sclerosis-An Educational Study

Author(s): Negin Sayari, Katayon Vakilian*, Zohre Khalajinia, Seyyed Amir Hejazi and Mostafa Vahedian

Volume 18, Issue 3, 2022

Published on: 07 January, 2022

Article ID: e110821195557 Pages: 7

DOI: 10.2174/1573404817666210811125138

Price: $65

Abstract

Aims: Improving sexual function in women with disability such as multiple sclerosis was aimed.

Background: Sexual dysfunction and the consequent low satisfaction is very common in females with Multiple Sclerosis (MS).

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of Relationship Enhancement Therapy (REP) on sexual function and satisfaction of females with MS.

Methods: The present study was an educational design with two groups, in which 44 females with MS participated and their spouses (N= 88) participated and randomly divided in two groups of intervention (N= 22 couples) and control (N= 22 couples). They signed written consent forms and were included in the project. The intervention group received the REP in six 90-minute sessions. The groups completed standard questionnaires of sexual dysfunction and sexual satisfaction in three stages of pretest-posttest and 3 months later. The Descriptive and inferential statistics (Twoway repeated measures ANOVA, chi-square, t-test and Mann-Whitney U test) were used to analyze data.

Results: The results of analysis showed that there was a clinically significant difference between the scores of sexual dysfunction in different phases of the assessment between two groups (p <0.05). Also sexual satisfaction was higher in the intervention group vs. in the control (p <0.05).

Conclusion: According to the findings, marital enrichment program was effective in improvement of sexual function and sexual satisfaction of females with multiple sclerosis. It is recommended to healthcare providers to use enrichment alongside medical services to improve patients' sexual life.

Keywords: Marital, sexual function, sexual satisfaction, multiple sclerosis, healthcare providers, neurological disabling.

Graphical Abstract
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