The effectiveness of Permission, Limited Information, Specific suggestions, Intensive Therapy (PLISITT) model based sexual counselling on sexual function of women with Multiple Sclerosis who are sexually active: A randomised clinical trial

Author: Fatemeh Daneshfar,  Zahra Behboodi-Moghadam, Zohreh Khakbazan, Seyed Massood Nabavi, Nahid Dehghan Nayeri, Sogand Ghasemzadeh

Abstract

objective: This study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of sexual counseling based on Permission, Limited Information, Specific Suggestion, Intensive Therapy (PLISSIT) model on Sexual Dysfunction (SD) of married women who are sexually active and suffer from Multiple Sclerosis (MS) .This is the first sexual intervention applied by a midwife as a health professional on MS patients in Iran, where the cultural and religious limitations would be important challenging issues.

Study design: This randomized clinical trial was carried out in Iranian Community of Support for MS Patients in Tehran, Iran. The participated women who had definite MS and SD, Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score < 7 and aged 18-55 years were randomized as experimental group (EG, n=43) and control group (CG, n=45). Four weekly sexual counseling sessions based on PLISSIT model (90-120 minutes per session) were applied for EG.

Main outcome measures: Sexual function was assessed in 3 points (before intervention, 2 months and 3 months after intervention) by using Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI). Chi-square test, Fisher’s Exact test, Repeated Measures ANOVA  were employed to assess the data.

Results: The mean total FSFI score of women in EG was improved at 2 months and 3 months after intervention when it was compared with FSFI score before intervention (p<0.05). There was no significant difference in total FSFI score when data were/were  compared through 3 points of evaluation in CG. A significant increase in mean score of 6 subgroups was seen in EG (p<0.05) but not in CG.

Conclusion: According to this study, utilizing  PLISSIT model as a framework for sexual counseling can improve sexual function of women who are sexually active and  suffer from SD due to MS.

Keywords: PLISSIT model; sexual counseling; sexual dysfunction; Women; Multiple Sclerosis