Intimacy after prostate cancer: a brief couples' workshop is associated with improvements in relationship satisfaction
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Prostate cancer (PCa) treatments often leave men with erectile dysfunction (ED). Even when ED treatments are effective in restoring men's ability to have an erection sufficient for intercourse, couples continue to struggle sexually. Effective treatments to help couples recover sexually are needed. METHOD: PCa patients and partners (N = 59 couples) attending a one-time couples' intimacy workshop, participated in an evaluation. The workshop, offered eight times over a 2-year period, emphasized a couples-based approach to treatment that enhances direct communication about sexuality and implementation of sexual recovery strategies that are consistent with the couple's values. Couples completed pre and post questionnaires (at baseline and 2 months later) assessing the primary outcome of relationship adjustment (Revised Dyadic Adjustment Scale) and secondary outcome of sexual function (Sexual Function Questionnaire). T-tests were employed to examine pre-post changes in scores. A small qualitative sub-study was conducted on the use of a Commitment to Change goal-setting exercise, completed during the workshop. RESULTS: Results provide insight into the specific nature of improvements. Patients and partners showed improvements in relationship satisfaction. Improvements with small-to-medium effect sizes were observed for patients and partners sexual function; however, after adjusting for multiple comparisons, these changes were no longer statistically significant. The specific goals set by couples, and their achievement status, are presented. CONCLUSIONS: The workshop offers a comprehensive, one-session intervention to help couples implement a treatment plan to promote sexual recovery after PCa treatment. Given the observed improvements, progression to a randomized control trial is warranted. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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Many psychosocial treatment groups include partners, but some groups do not.
“Many groups include partners,31,32 but some groups do not.29,33”
From Preliminary Development of a Mindfulness-Based Group Therapy to Expand Couples’ Sexual Intimacy after Prostate Cancer: A Mixed Methods Approach (2021) · cites this paper as [32]
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- Authors
- Walker, L. M., King, N., Kwasny, Z., & Robinson, J. W.
- Affiliations
- University of Calgary (CA)
- Corresponding author
- Walker, Lauren M.
- ORCID
- Walker, Lauren M.
- Venue
- Psycho-Oncology
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2016-05-16
- Volume
- 26
- Issue
- 9
- Pages
- 1336-1346
- ISSN
- 1057-9249 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2364537198
- Cited by
- 25
- References
- 46
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 2 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 3
- FWCI
- 2.96
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- Locations
- Psycho-Oncology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Canadian Male Sexual Health Council
- Calgary Prostate Cancer Centre
- Prostate Cancer Canada Rising Star (RS-2015-03)
- Markin Undergraduate Student Research Program Summer Studentship
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Sexual function and dysfunction studies
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Oncology › Cancer survivorship and care
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Attachment and Relationship Dynamics
- Keywords
- prostate cancer, erectile dysfunction, sexual recovery, relationship satisfaction, dyadic adjustment, sexual function, couple-based interventions, goal setting, intimacy, cancer survivorship
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Aged, Coitus, Humans, Erectile Dysfunction, Male, Middle Aged, Personal Satisfaction, Prostatic Neoplasms, Surveys and Questionnaires, Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological, Sexual Partners, Treatment Outcome, Couples Therapy, Sexual Dysfunctions, Psychological
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