Sexual dysfunction and marital adjustment in married men with alcohol dependence syndrome.

Background: Only a few studies have systematically assessed sexual dysfunction and marital adjustment in married men with alcohol dependence in India.

Aim: To assess the prevalence and pattern of sexual dysfunction and marital adjustment in a clinical sample of married men with alcohol dependence. The association of sexual dysfunction and marital adjustment with the severity of alcohol dependence was also explored.

Materials and methods: This cross-sectional study included 100 consecutive married men attending psychiatry outpatient department (OPD) with a diagnosis of alcohol dependence syndrome (ADS). A pre-designed study proformawas used for collecting relevant socio-demographic and clinical details of the study participants. Sexual dysfunction, marital adjustment, and alcohol dependence were assessed using the following validated tools: the Arizona Sexual Experiences Scale (ASEX), the Marital Adjustment Questionnaire (MAQ), and the Severity of Alcohol Dependence Questionnaire (SADQ), respectively.

Results: Of 100 patients, about 15% had clinical sexual dysfunction based on ASEX. The most commonly reported sexual dysfunction was difficulty with erection (24.0%), followed by problems in desire (18.0%), sexual arousal (12.0%), ability to reach orgasm (12.0%), and satisfaction with orgasm (9.0%). Sexual dysfunction (ASEX score) showed significant positive correlation (r_s = 0.345; P < 0.001) with alcohol dependence severity (SADQ score). Also, the severity of alcohol dependence was negatively correlated (r_s = -0.240; P = 0.016) with the overall level of marital adjustment (MAQ score) with spouse.

Conclusion: Sexual dysfunction is common in married men with ADS, with both sexual dysfunction intensity and marital adjustment difficulties being positively associated with the severity of alcohol dependence.