strongly associated with improvement in sexual function.

“Thus, changes in sexual behavior, and particularly changes in sexual
behaviors perceived as satisfying, partially accounted for variation in
outcome across participants,” Bradford and Meston wrote in their paper.

They noted that taking part in the clinical trial may have helped women
improve their sexual function, despite receiving placebo.

Because women had extensive interaction with clinicians during the run-in
period at the beginning of the trial and they were asked to attempt sexual
activity, “this alone might have brought about positive changes by
decreasing avoidance of sexual activity and generating opportunities for
rewarding sexual encounters,” the authors wrote.

Also, the participants recorded their satisfaction after each sexual
encounter, which might have helped empower them to improve their sexual
lives, Bradford and Meston noted.

“In effect, the collection of sexual activity data might have constituted a
type of self-monitoring intervention.” Continue reading →