The role of sexual assault history and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptoms in online treatment for Sexual Interest/Arousal Disorder in women.
K R Stephenson, E A Mahar, K Adamo et al.
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In 30 seconds
This secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial examined whether sexual assault (SA) history predicted engagement or outcomes in online treatment for Sexual Interest/Arousal Disorder (SIAD), and whether PTSD symptoms changed. Women with SIAD were assigned to online cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), mindfulness-based therapy (MBT), or waitlist control. SA history did not predict treatment engagement or changes in SIAD symptoms. Overall PTSD symptoms decreased more with MBT than with waitlist. Exploratory follow-up analyses suggested different patterns by SA history: PTSD symptoms improved most with CBT among SA survivors and with MBT among women without an SA history.
Key findings
- SA history did not predict engagement in online treatment or changes in SIAD symptoms.
- Overall PTSD symptoms decreased in MBT over and above waitlist.
- Exploratory follow-up analyses found the greatest PTSD symptom improvement with CBT among SA survivors and with MBT among women without SA history.
Why it matters
The findings suggest that a history of sexual assault need not preclude engagement in online SIAD treatment, and that PTSD symptoms may also change during treatment. The differing exploratory patterns by assault history may be relevant when considering outcomes, but they do not establish which therapy is preferable for an individual or subgroup.
What to keep in mind
This was a secondary analysis, and the subgroup findings by SA history were exploratory.