Phase 1 clinical trial on Orgasmic Meditation (OM): Assessing safety and feasibility as a meditation practice for individuals with PTSD

IF 1.4 Q4 MEDICINE, RESEARCH & EXPERIMENTAL

Contemporary Clinical Trials Communications Pub Date : 2025-02-12 DOI:10.1016/j.conctc.2025.101451

Daniel Kriegman, Rachel Pelletier, Caroline Griggs, Caryn Roth

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background

We measured the safety and efficacy of a treatment protocol that includes Orgasmic Meditation (OM), a structured attention training practice conducted between two people who follow a predefined set of detailed instructions. The practice involves one person gently stroking the clitoris of the other person for 15 minutes while both place their attention on the point of contact and notice what they feel. Practitioners of OM have reported that this practice is distinct both from typical sexual engagement and other forms of meditation (Siegel et al., 2022).

Methods

Approved by Advarra Pro00061665. The study involved 28 participants (14 pairs), who were recruited based on residence in the Massachusetts area, being in a relationship, and having no history of practicing OM. Twenty-three of these participants identified and scored as having PTSD symptoms (PCL-5 scores >31). Participants were instructed to perform the OM practice a minimum of 12 times over a 4-week period and met weekly with the principal investigator to determine if any safety issues were manifesting. A series of surveys (Daily: Tumescence Survey and OM journal. Baseline and weekly: PCL-5. Baseline, completion and follow up: Eudaimonia assessment, PHQ-9, Gad-7, BIPF, and OM perception survey at) were administered to measure the results.

Results

Orgasmic Meditation showed positive results in persons with PTSD. Orgasmic meditation is safe and may offer improvement in symptoms. OM showed 47 % improvement in PTSD scores Average score decreased from 60 to 28. Average score across 23 participants rate 4.9/5 that OM is safe.

Conclusion

These results suggest that Orgasmic Meditation may be safe for this traumatized population, and may ameliorate symptoms of PTSD. Further research appears to be warranted to determine the efficacy of OM in treatment of PTSD.

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来源期刊

Contemporary Clinical Trials Communications Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutics-Pharmacology

CiteScore

2.70

自引率

6.70%

发文量

146

审稿时长

20 weeks

期刊介绍： Contemporary Clinical Trials Communications is an international peer reviewed open access journal that publishes articles pertaining to all aspects of clinical trials, including, but not limited to, design, conduct, analysis, regulation and ethics. Manuscripts submitted should appeal to a readership drawn from a wide range of disciplines including medicine, life science, pharmaceutical science, biostatistics, epidemiology, computer science, management science, behavioral science, and bioethics. Contemporary Clinical Trials Communications is unique in that it is outside the confines of disease specifications, and it strives to increase the transparency of medical research and reduce publication bias by publishing scientifically valid original research findings irrespective of their perceived importance, significance or impact. Both randomized and non-randomized trials are within the scope of the Journal. Some common topics include trial design rationale and methods, operational methodologies and challenges, and positive and negative trial results. In addition to original research, the Journal also welcomes other types of communications including, but are not limited to, methodology reviews, perspectives and discussions. Through timely dissemination of advances in clinical trials, the goal of Contemporary Clinical Trials Communications is to serve as a platform to enhance the communication and collaboration within the global clinical trials community that ultimately advances this field of research for the benefit of patients.