The effect of practical intimate relationship skills training (PAIRS) on marital satisfaction, adjustment, and sexual function in women living with HIV and AIDS: a randomized controlled trial

Introduction: Considering the role of marital satisfaction and adjustment in family functioning, which can be influenced by specific disease, such as acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), this study was conducted to determine the effect of practical intimate relationship skills training (PAIRS) on marital satisfaction, adjustment, and sexual function in women living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and AIDS (WLHA). Material and methods: In a randomized controlled trial, 44 WLHA referred to the Behavioral Disease Counseling Clinic of Imam Khomeini Hospital, Tehran, Iran in 2019, were randomly divided into intervention and control groups based on four randomized blocks. Eight sessions of educational counseling were provided once a week for both group. At the beginning, at the end, and at four weeks following the training, Enrich marital satisfaction questionnaire, Spinner marital adjustment, and Rosen sexual function questionnaires were completed by patients and analyzed with a SPSS-21 software. Results: This study showed no significant difference between total score of marital satisfaction, marital adjustment, and sexual function before the intervention. Rate of marital satisfaction (p = 0.003), marital adjustment (p = 0.03), and female sexual function (p < 0.001) were significantly increased in the intervention group immediately and one month after the intervention. The results also indicated that 77.9% of the changes in post-test scores of marital satisfaction, 76% of marital adjustment, and 94.9% of sexual function were related to the intervention effect, demonstrating a sustainable impact of educational intervention (p < 0.001). Conclusions: PAIRS can improve marital satisfaction and adjustment and sexual function in WLHA, and influence quality of family functioning. HIV AIDS Rev 2020; 19, 4: 252-259 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5114/hivar.2020.101593