Evaluation of efficacy of sexual novelty as a novel therapeutic strategy to treat Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder in women in monogamous heterosexual relationships attributing reduced sexual desire to sexual boredom: A prospective randomized study.

Abstract

Hypoactive Sexual Desire Dysfunction (HSDD) in women has a complex origin, and addressing modifiable factors can lead to the best outcomes. One contributing factor is sexual boredom, particularly in women in monogamous relationships and we decided to evaluate sexual novelty as a therapeutic strategy in such women using prospective randomized study design. These women were recruited following screening using a Decreased Sexual Desire Screener (DSDS). Participants' baseline sexual boredom was assessed using the Sexual Boredom Scale (SBS). Reasons for sexual boredom were identified, and customized novelty packages were developed accordingly. The participants were divided into two groups: Group A received psychotherapy alone (n = 196), while Group B (n = 202) received psychotherapy along with a customized sexual novelty package. Sexual desire levels were measured and compared at baseline and after a six-month intervention using the Elements of Desire Questionnaire (EDQ). The groups were similar in age, duration of monogamy, SBS scores, and baseline EDQ scores. Post-intervention results showed that the improvement in EDQ scores for the sexual novelty group was double that of the psychotherapy group (1.8 ± 0.3 vs 0.9 ± 0.1, p < 0.0001). Moreover, multiple regression models showed that lower age of the participant (p = 0.0253) and a longer period of monogamy (p = 0.0268) adversely affected sexual desire.