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Cognitive behavioral therapy as an adjunct treatment for Pakistani men with ED

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Abstract

The goal of this study was to determine potential positive effects of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) on Pakistani men with ED who were undergoing treatment with a PDE-5 inhibitor. We used a pre-post research design comparing men with and without adjunctive CBT. Men in the two groups were compared to determine whether CBT improved sexual function, as measured by the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF). A total of 60 individuals diagnosed with ED completed the study. Participants were systematically assigned to one of two groups, the CBT group or the control group. The sample was drawn from outpatients referred through several hospitals in Islamabad. All men showed improvement in sexual functioning over the course of the study, though post treatment, men in the CBT group showed greater improvement on IIEF subscales of erectile functioning, orgasmic function, intercourse satisfaction and overall satisfaction than those in the control group. CBT can be considered an effective and supportive means for achieving better sexual outcomes for Pakistani men taking PDE-5 inhibitors for erectile problems.

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Acknowledgements

We acknowledge the support of Dr Uzma Masroor, Head of Department, Department of Professional Psychology, Bahria University, Islamabad. We also thank the cooperating health professionals at the regional hospitals, especially Dr Najam Akhtar (psychiatrist), Dr Sohail Ahmed Khan (dermotologist) and Dr Safia Ashfaq (clinical psychologist) for their referrals.

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Correspondence to D Rowland.

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Khan, S., Amjad, A. & Rowland, D. Cognitive behavioral therapy as an adjunct treatment for Pakistani men with ED. Int J Impot Res 29, 202–206 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1038/ijir.2017.23

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