Effects of Early Abuse on Adult Intimate Relationships

The University of Texas System (UT)

Status: Completed

Conditions: Major Depressive Disorder; Post-traumatic Stress Disorder; Female Orgasmic Disorder; Female Sexual Arousal Disorder; Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder

Treatments: Behavioral: Expressive writing

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other; NIH

Identifiers

NCT01803802

1R01HD051676

R01HD051676 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study is designed to help us better understand the factors that affect the sexual lives of women who have been sexually mistreated during childhood. With this study we hope to learn about factors that may be promising targets for future treatments of sexual problems related to past sexual experiences. The investigators hypothesize that women who have experienced early sexual abuse are more likely to have sexual problems in adulthood than women who were not abuse in childhood.

Enrollment: 148 patients

Sex: Female

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• at least one involuntary sexual experience, defined as "unwanted oral, anal, or vaginal intercourse, penetration of the vagina or anus using objects or digits, or genital touching or fondling," before age 16 and no less than 2 years prior to enrollment.
• currently sexually active or cohabiting in a potentially sexual relationship.
• current sexual dysfunction, distress, or low sexual satisfaction

Exclusion criteria

• traumatic event in the previous three months
• sexual abuse in the past two years
• diagnosis of a psychotic disorder in the previous six months
• significant suicidal or homicidal intent
• currently receiving psychotherapy for sexual or abuse-related concerns
• use of illicit drugs
• in a currently abusive relationship

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Single Group Assignment

Masking: Triple Blind

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148 participants in 3 patient groups, including a placebo group

Time management

Placebo Comparator group

Description:

Writing prompts oriented towards objective recounting of previous day

Treatment:

Behavioral: Expressive writing

Sexual schema writing

Experimental group

Description:

Expressive writing prompts oriented towards beliefs about sexuality

Treatment:

Behavioral: Expressive writing

Trauma writing

Active Comparator group

Description:

Expressive writing prompts oriented towards processing traumatic experiences

Treatment:

Behavioral: Expressive writing