Testing Cognitive-behavioral therapy for sexual interest/arousal disorder
Official title: Cognitive-Behavioural Couple Therapy for Sexual Interest/Arousal Disorder
- 2 groups
- Sites in Vancouver, Halifax and 1 more city
- Recruiting
Interventions
- Other intervention
Cognitive-behavioral therapy
The intervention will be delivered in 16, 60-minute sessions (1st session 90 mins). The treatment manual was informed by a 12-session (75 min each) CBCT developed by our team for genito-pelvic pain. The SIAD manual focuses on empirically supported interpersonal factors relevant to SIAD, informed by the Interpersonal Emotion Regulation Model of women's sexual dysfunction. The goals of the CBCT are to: (1) re-conceptualize low sexual desire/arousal as multidimensional in which both partners affect and are affected by the SIAD symptoms (2) modify and/or accept those factors that are associated with low sexual desire/arousal to increase adaptive coping, facilitate sexual desire/arousal, and reduce sexual distress, (3) as per our theoretical model, improve couple interactions related to sexuality (e.g., communication, intimacy) via enhanced emotion regulation, and (4) consolidate skills.
Canadian Sites (3)
2 of 3 recruiting
- Recruiting
University of British Columbia
Vancouver, British Columbia
- Recruiting
Dalhousie University
Halifax, Nova Scotia
- Not yet recruiting
Université de Montréal
Montreal, Quebec
Eligibility Criteria
See who this study is looking for8 criteria
The trial’s own eligibility text, word for word from the registry. Only the trial site can say who takes part.
Inclusion
- +One member of the couple must identify as a cisgender woman, a trans woman, or a gender diverse person assigned female at birth;
- +One member of the couple must meet diagnostic criteria for SIAD;
- +Both partners must be fluent in English or French;
- +Both partners must be in a committed, cohabiting relationship for at least one year (with a partner of any gender/sex).
Exclusion
- −No prior sexual experience;
- −Severe relational distress or conflict as determined by baselineBaselineYour starting measurements, taken before treatment begins.Read more → measures and interview;
- −Are currently undergoing treatment for SIAD, or are in couple or sex therapy.
- −Pregnancy, breastfeeding or one year postpartum;
In plain language
Assembled directly from this trial’s registry record. Every sentence traces to a field below — nothing here is generated or interpreted.
What this study is
This study is testing a treatment for a condition.
This study is not organised into the usual phase numbers — that is common for device, behavioural, and diagnostic research.
From the trial registry
Built from these fields:
- designModule.designInfo.primaryPurpose
- designModule.phases
Who receives what
There are 2 groups in this study.
Group A receives Cognitive-behavioral therapy.
Registry label: A: CBCT for SIAD
Group B receives no study treatment and is followed for comparison.
Registry label: B: Waitlist
From the trial registry
Built from these fields:
- armsInterventionsModule.armGroups[].label
- armsInterventionsModule.armGroups[].type
- armsInterventionsModule.armGroups[].interventionNames
How the study is run
Which group you would be placed in is decided by chance, like a coin flip — not by you and not by your doctor.
Neither you nor the study team would know which group you are in until the study ends.
From the trial registry
Built from these fields:
- designModule.designInfo.allocation
- designModule.designInfo.maskingInfo.masking
Is there a placebo?
This study does not list a placeboPlaceboA dummy treatment with no active medicine, used for comparison.Read more → group.
One group receives no study treatment at all, and is followed for comparison.
From the trial registry
Built from these fields:
- armsInterventionsModule.armGroups[].type
- armsInterventionsModule.armGroups[].interventionNames
Who the study is looking for
The study lists a minimum age of 18 years, with no upper limit given.
The study is open to people of any sex.
The study does not accept healthy volunteersHealthy volunteerSomeone without the condition being studied who takes part anyway.Read more →.
These are the criteria the study lists. Only the trial siteTrial siteA hospital or clinic where a study is actually run.Read more → can decide whether someone can take part.
From the trial registry
Built from these fields:
- eligibilityModule.minimumAge
- eligibilityModule.sex
- eligibilityModule.healthyVolunteers
How big and how long
The study aims to enrol about 170 people.
The study is currently expected to finish around December 2028.
The main measurement is taken over: A. At baselineBaselineYour starting measurements, taken before treatment begins.Read more → (after enrolmentEnrolmentThe number of participants a study plans to include, or has included.Read more → in the study) B. During treatment (approximately 4, 8, 12 and 16 weeks after baseline) C. At post-treatment (approximately 18 weeks after baseline) D. At 6-month follow-upFollow-upContinued check-ins after the treatment part is finished.Read more → (6M after post-treatment).
From the trial registry
Built from these fields:
- designModule.enrollmentInfo.count
- statusModule.completionDateStruct.date
- outcomesModule.primaryOutcomes[].timeFrame
What the study measures
Sexual Desire — measured over A. At baselineBaselineYour starting measurements, taken before treatment begins.Read more → (after enrolmentEnrolmentThe number of participants a study plans to include, or has included.Read more → in the study) B. During treatment (approximately 4, 8, 12 and 16 weeks after baseline) C. At post-treatment (approximately 18 weeks after baseline) D. At 6-month follow-upFollow-upContinued check-ins after the treatment part is finished.Read more → (6M after post-treatment).
Sexual Distress — measured over A. At baseline (after enrolment in the study) B. During treatment (approximately 4, 8, 12 and 16 weeks after baseline) C. At post-treatment (approximately 18 weeks after baseline) D. At 6-month follow-up (6M after post-treatment).
From the trial registry
Built from these fields:
- outcomesModule.primaryOutcomes[].measure
- outcomesModule.primaryOutcomes[].timeFrame
Source: NCT06777277 on ClinicalTrials.gov. The full registry text is further down this page — this summary never replaces it.
Not medical advice. What do these terms mean?
What is being tested — in plain terms
About Cognitive-behavioral therapyOther
The intervention will be delivered in 16, 60-minute sessions (1st session 90 mins). The treatment manual was informed by a 12-session (75 min each) CBCT developed by our team for genito-pelvic pain. The SIAD manual focuses on empirically supported interpersonal factors relevant to SIAD, informed by the Interpersonal Emotion Regulation Model of women's sexual dysfunction. The goals of the CBCT are to: (1) re-conceptualize low sexual desire/arousal as multidimensional in which both partners affect and are affected by the SIAD symptoms (2) modify and/or accept those factors that are associated with low sexual desire/arousal to increase adaptive coping, facilitate sexual desire/arousal, and reduce sexual distress, (3) as per our theoretical model, improve couple interactions related to sexuality (e.g., communication, intimacy) via enhanced emotion regulation, and (4) consolidate skills.
From the trial registry — its own words, unedited.
What a other is here: An intervention the registry did not place in another category.
Read the full explanation → · in clinical review
Common questions
Answered from this trial’s registry record. Where the record doesn’t say, these answers say so rather than filling the gap.
Am I eligible for this trial?
Only the trial siteTrial siteA hospital or clinic where a study is actually run.Read more → can decide whether someone can take part. Concord cannot make that determination, and neither can any tool that has not examined you.
What the study lists: a minimum age of 18 years.
The full inclusionInclusion criteriaThe things you must have or be for a study to consider you.Read more → and exclusion criteriaExclusion criteriaThe things that would prevent someone from taking part.Read more → are published on this page, exactly as the study team wrote them.
The useful next step is to bring this trial to your doctor. Answering a few questions first gives them something concrete to review.
From the trial registry
- eligibilityModule.minimumAge
- eligibilityModule.eligibilityCriteria
Is there a placebo?
This study does not list a placeboPlaceboA dummy treatment with no active medicine, used for comparison.Read more → group.
One group receives no study treatment and is followed for comparison.
From the trial registry
- armsInterventionsModule.armGroups[].type
Would I know which treatment I am getting?
Neither you nor the study team would know which group you are in until the study ends.
Which group you would be placed in is decided by chance, like a coin flip — not by you and not by your doctor.
From the trial registry
- designModule.designInfo.maskingInfo.masking
- designModule.designInfo.allocation
Who can join?
The study lists a minimum age of 18 years, with no upper limit given.
It is open to people of any sex.
It does not accept healthy volunteersHealthy volunteerSomeone without the condition being studied who takes part anyway.Read more →.
Only the trial siteTrial siteA hospital or clinic where a study is actually run.Read more → can confirm whether a particular person can take part.
From the trial registry
- eligibilityModule.minimumAge
- eligibilityModule.sex
- eligibilityModule.healthyVolunteers
How long would this take?
The study's main measurement is taken over: A. At baselineBaselineYour starting measurements, taken before treatment begins.Read more → (after enrolmentEnrolmentThe number of participants a study plans to include, or has included.Read more → in the study) B. During treatment (approximately 4, 8, 12 and 16 weeks after baseline) C. At post-treatment (approximately 18 weeks after baseline) D. At 6-month follow-upFollow-upContinued check-ins after the treatment part is finished.Read more → (6M after post-treatment).
The study as a whole is currently expected to finish around 2028-12-01.
How long any one person takes part can differ from the study length. The study team can tell you what the schedule looks like in practice.
From the trial registry
- outcomesModule.primaryOutcomes[].timeFrame
- statusModule.completionDateStruct.date
How many people are taking part?
The study aims to enrol about 170 people.
From the trial registry
- designModule.enrollmentInfo.count
Where is this happening?
This study lists 3 locations, including: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada; Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Sites can open and close during a study, so confirm with the team before travelling.
From the trial registry
- trial_locations
About This Trial
Sexual health is a fundamental aspect of quality of life; a satisfying sexual relationship is linked to better physical, psychological, and relationship health and well-being. In fact, people who maintain a satisfying, active sex life over time live longer than those who report lower sexual frequency and satisfaction. Yet problems with sexual function are extremely common, especially for women: chronic difficulties with sexual desire and/or arousal that are personally upsetting-Sexual Interest/Arousal Disorder (SIAD)-affects 7% to 23% of the general population. SIAD is linked to more healthcare costs, depressive symptoms and anxiety, and lower relationship satisfaction. Experts suggest that relationship factors play a critical role in SIAD and couple-based sex therapy is a common approach used by clinicians. However, there are no treatment options available for couples that have been tested in research to confirm that they work. The goal of this three-centre randomized clinical trial is to evaluate the efficacy of a novel 16-session cognitive-behavioural couple therapy (CBCT), offered online to increase accessibility, for an inclusive sample of women with SIAD compared to a waitlist control group. The investigators expect that, compared to a waitlist control group, CBCT will lead to greater improvements in SIAD symptoms (e.g., higher sexual desire/arousal, lower sexual distress) and better sexual, relational, and psychological adjustment for both partners at post-treatment and 6-months later. Given that less than a third of those affected by SIAD access treatment, this study addresses the urgent need for an accessible couple-based treatment for the most common sexual dysfunction. Results will be used by clinicians to provide couples with a scientifically based, accessible treatment option, that will improve their sexual, relationship, and psychological health.
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See if this trial could fit youThis page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Clinical trial eligibility can only be determined by the trial site after proper screening. Trial information is sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov and may not reflect the most current status. Always consult your healthcare provider before making decisions about clinical trial participation.