Efficacy of metacognitive therapy for hypoactive sexual desire disorder among Iranian couples

The aim of present study was to compare the efficacy of metacognitive therapy (MCT) against Masters-Johnson sex therapy (MJST) for hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) in Iranian couples.A randomized treatment trial was conducted. Participants were recruited from the family counseling clinics in Tehran and Isfahan. All were suffering from HSDD as defined by DSM-IV-R criteria. They were assigned randomly to two groups that received 10 sessions of either MCT or MJST. A sexual desire questionnaire was completed by participants before and after therapy and at 6-month follow-up.Sexual desire increased significantly in the MCT group with respect to the MJST group which failed to show any significant improvement from baseline. Both groups showed a reduction in scores at 6-month follow-up. The difference recorded between the two groups after therapy was no longer significant at 6-month follow-up.MCT affected sexual desire more than MJST as evaluated after therapy but the gain was not maintained at follow-up. Future research needs to investigate whether a greater focus on metacognitive beliefs about sexual behavior can improve the stability of treatment effects.