CBT, mindfulness help improve sexual outcomes among prostate cancer survivors, partners

Mindfulness and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) appear beneficial for prostate cancer survivors and their partners who are dealing with sexual dysfunction, a study has shown.

Sixty-eight prostate cancer survivors, who self-reported current sexual problems following treatments and their partners, were randomly assigned to four consecutive weeks of couples’ mindfulness therapy, couples’ CBT, or no treatment (control).

Six weeks after CBT and mindfulness interventions, significant improvements were observed with regard to sexual distress and sexual satisfaction as compared with the control group. However, only the improvement in sexual distress persisted at 6 months. Relationship satisfaction decreased, particularly for partners than survivors.

Notably, domains of quality of life increased for survivors compared with their partners 6 months after treatments, as did the general quality of life for couples 6 weeks following mindfulness intervention. No significant changes were noted in psychological symptoms and trait mindfulness.

In qualitative analysis, mindfulness resulted in greater personal impact on couple intimacy after the end of the study.

“CBT and mindfulness can be effective treatments for helping couples adapt to and cope with changes to their sexual function after prostate cancer treatments and could help improve the most common concern for PCa survivors—that is, couples’ sexual intimacy—after cancer, if added to routine clinical care,” the authors said.

The study was limited by its small control group, which reduced the power to observe differences between groups. In addition, the sample was mostly White, heterosexual, and affluent, thus limiting the generalizability.