THE EFFECT OF SEXUAL COUNSELING BASED ON THE EXPLISSIT MODEL ON SEXUAL FUNCTION, MARITAL ADJUSTMENT, AND QUALITY OF SEXUAL LIFE IN POSTMENOPAUSAL WOMEN

Karamanoğlu Mehmetbey University

Status

Invitation-only

Conditions

Menopausal and Postmenopausal Women

Sexual and Reproductive Health

Treatments

Other: Group receiving sexual counseling based on the EX PLISSIT model.

Study type

Interventional

Funder types

Other

Identifiers

NCT07559916

DECISION 02-2026/43

Details and patient eligibility

About

Sexual health is not merely about sexual dysfunction, but a complex, diverse, and multifaceted natural process encompassing a wide range of aspects of human life, extending from childhood to old age. Quality of sexual life refers to an individual's satisfaction with their sexual life. Due to increased life expectancy, women spend more than a third of their lives in the postmenopausal period. Contrary to expectations, sexuality becomes increasingly important for women in the postmenopausal period. The postmenopausal period, following menopause, brings about vasomotor, psychological, and urogenital changes and complaints, as well as various health problems. These changes and complaints can impair sexual function, sexual satisfaction, and marital harmony, negatively impacting the quality of sexual life. The literature indicates that sexual satisfaction is one of the most important factors affecting marital harmony, and that sexual dissatisfaction diminishes positive emotions and intimacy within marriage. The postmenopausal period has a significant impact not only on life expectancy but also on couples' sexual health and marital harmony. However, the assessment of this issue by healthcare personnel is often neglected. Assessing patients' sexual health and concerns about sexuality is an important part of the professional nursing role and holistic care. For this purpose, it is stated that participation in special training programs aimed at assessing patient sexuality and the use of models that will provide guidance can be beneficial . The use of professional sexual diagnostic models by nurses in assessing patient sexuality will lead to a healthier and more effective questioning and evaluation of sexuality. The PLISSIT and EX-PLISSIT models are commonly used by nurses in primary care to address sexual health needs and concerns. The PLISSIT model consists of four therapeutic stages: Permission, Limited Information (LI), Specific Suggestions (SS), and Intensive Therapy (IT). As the intervention stages of the PLISSIT model progress, more comprehensive knowledge, training, and skills are required. Ex-PLISSIT is an expanded version of the PLISSIT model, with the permission stage being central. One cannot proceed to the next stage without completing the permission stage

Enrollment

86 estimated patients

Sex

Female

Ages

43 to 55 years old

Volunteers

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

Being sexually active
Living with a spouse/partner
Having at least a primary school diploma
Being in the postmenopausal period
Agreeing to participate in the study
Having entered menopause naturally
Scoring ≤26.55 on the FSFI scal

Exclusion criteria

Being on Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) and not having discontinued HRT treatment at least six months prior to the study
Having undergone surgical menopause
Not having entered menopause at an early or late age (over 40 and under 55 years of age)
Having a chronic systemic disease and/or a psychiatric health problem
Having a disability that makes communication difficult, such as hearing or language problems
Having received any sexual counseling before the study