Sexual Problems Predict PTSD and Depression Symptom Change Among Male OEF/OIF Veterans Completing Exposure Therapy
Abstract
Objective: A growing literature documents frequent sexual problems among Operations Enduring/Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF) veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, there has been no examination of how (1) sexual problems may be affected by evidenced-based psychotherapy for PTSD or (2) how the presence of sexual problems might impact effectiveness of evidenced-based psychotherapy for PTSD. As such, the present study investigated associations among symptoms of PTSD, depression, and problems with sexual desire and arousal among 45 male OEF/OIF veterans receiving behavioral activation and therapeutic exposure (BA-TE), an evidence-based behavior therapy targeting co-occurring symptoms of PTSD and depression.
Method: Participants completed clinical interviews and several questionnaires including measures of sexual arousal, sexual desire, PTSD symptoms, and depression symptoms at baseline and after completion of 8 sessions of BA-TE treatment. A records review was also conducted to assess for relevant medication use.
Results: Overall, sexual desire and sexual arousal problems did not improve during the course of treatment. Moreover, veterans with co-occurring sexual problems at baseline evidenced significantly less improvement in symptoms of PTSD and depression across treatment as compared to veterans without sexual problems.
Conclusions: These findings suggest that veterans with co-occurring symptoms of PTSD and sexual problems may require additional assessment and…
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Evidence Hub reads this as a randomized trial, done in people. Its evidence level is 2 of 5 (High · randomized trial). Randomized trials of a reasonable size are the strongest single-study design.
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