TY - JOUR
T1 - Relationship Between Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Sexual Difficulties
T2 - A Systematic Review of Veterans and Military Personnel
AU - Bird, Elizabeth R.
AU - Piccirillo, Marilyn
AU - Garcia, Natalia
AU - Blais, Rebecca
AU - Campbell, Sarah
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 International Society for Sexual Medicine
PY - 2021/8
Y1 - 2021/8
N2 - Background: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with sexual difficulties but the nuances of this relationship remain elusive. Research has increased in recent years, most notably following publication of several reviews in 2015. Aim: This systematic review examines the relationship between PTSD and sexual difficulties in veterans/military personnel. Methods: A systematic review was conducted using PRISMA guidelines in PsycINFO and PubMed databases for studies examining a diagnosis of PTSD or PTSD severity in relation to a range of sexual difficulties. Forty-three studies were identified that met inclusion and exclusion criteria for this review. Results: PTSD was associated with increased risk of experiencing at least one sexual difficulty. PTSD was most clearly associated with overall sexual function, sexual desire, sexual satisfaction, and sexual distress. Results were mixed for sexual arousal, orgasm function, erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation, sexual pain, and frequency of sexual activity. PTSD symptom clusters of avoidance and negative alterations in cognition/mood were most commonly associated sexual difficulties. Few studies compared results by gender and trauma type. Clinical Implications: Clinicians should inquire about sexual health in relation to PTSD symptoms and target avoidance and negative mood symptoms by incorporating sexual exposure assignments and sexual activation exercises when appropriate. Strengths & Limitations: This systematic review synthesizes an extensive literature that has grown substantially in the past 5 years and includes studies with low to moderate risk of bias. Limitations of the existing literature include challenges differentiating between PTSD and depression, inconsistent measurement of PTSD and trauma histories, inconsistent operationalization and measurement of sexual outcomes, and largely cross-sectional study designs. Conclusion: PTSD is linked to a range of sexual outcomes. The current literature suggests that PTSD is associated with sexual difficulties related to both the sexual response cycle (ie, sexual desire) and one's emotional relationship to sexual activity (eg, sexual distress). More research is needed to increase confidence in findings. Bird ER, Piccirillo M, Garcia N, et al. Relationship Between Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Sexual Difficulties: A Systematic Review of Veterans and Military Personnel. J Sex Med 2021;18:1398–1426.
AB - Background: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with sexual difficulties but the nuances of this relationship remain elusive. Research has increased in recent years, most notably following publication of several reviews in 2015. Aim: This systematic review examines the relationship between PTSD and sexual difficulties in veterans/military personnel. Methods: A systematic review was conducted using PRISMA guidelines in PsycINFO and PubMed databases for studies examining a diagnosis of PTSD or PTSD severity in relation to a range of sexual difficulties. Forty-three studies were identified that met inclusion and exclusion criteria for this review. Results: PTSD was associated with increased risk of experiencing at least one sexual difficulty. PTSD was most clearly associated with overall sexual function, sexual desire, sexual satisfaction, and sexual distress. Results were mixed for sexual arousal, orgasm function, erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation, sexual pain, and frequency of sexual activity. PTSD symptom clusters of avoidance and negative alterations in cognition/mood were most commonly associated sexual difficulties. Few studies compared results by gender and trauma type. Clinical Implications: Clinicians should inquire about sexual health in relation to PTSD symptoms and target avoidance and negative mood symptoms by incorporating sexual exposure assignments and sexual activation exercises when appropriate. Strengths & Limitations: This systematic review synthesizes an extensive literature that has grown substantially in the past 5 years and includes studies with low to moderate risk of bias. Limitations of the existing literature include challenges differentiating between PTSD and depression, inconsistent measurement of PTSD and trauma histories, inconsistent operationalization and measurement of sexual outcomes, and largely cross-sectional study designs. Conclusion: PTSD is linked to a range of sexual outcomes. The current literature suggests that PTSD is associated with sexual difficulties related to both the sexual response cycle (ie, sexual desire) and one's emotional relationship to sexual activity (eg, sexual distress). More research is needed to increase confidence in findings. Bird ER, Piccirillo M, Garcia N, et al. Relationship Between Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Sexual Difficulties: A Systematic Review of Veterans and Military Personnel. J Sex Med 2021;18:1398–1426.
KW - Military Personnel
KW - Sexual Dysfunctions, Sexual Behavior
KW - Stress Disorders, Post-traumatic
KW - Veterans
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85110445571&partnerID=8YFLogxK
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U2 - 10.1016/j.jsxm.2021.05.011
DO - 10.1016/j.jsxm.2021.05.011
M3 - Review article
C2 - 34257051
AN - SCOPUS:85110445571
SN - 1743-6095
VL - 18
SP - 1398
EP - 1426
JO - Journal of Sexual Medicine
JF - Journal of Sexual Medicine
IS - 8
ER -