History of Sexual Assault as a Predictor of Response to a Self-Guided Online Program for Sexual Desire and Arousal Difficulties in Women

Sexual Interest/Arousal Disorder (distressing, long-lasting impairments in sexual desire and/or arousal) is common in women, but few have access to efficacious psychotherapies, including cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and mindfulness-based therapy (MBT). eSense, an online program meant to maximize treatment access, has been shown to be a feasible, satisfactory, and potentially efficacious intervention. However, subpopulations such as sexual assault survivors may find the program less usable or efficacious. The current study compared women with and without a history of sexual assault (SA) regarding their ability to use and benefit from eSense. Forty-four women (22 with a history of SA; M age = 34.20 years) used eSense (CBT or MBT) and completed validated self-report scales of sexual function, sexual distress, treatment satisfaction, and homework compliance. A history of SA did not predict differences in attrition or changes in clinical outcomes. Exploratory analyses suggested that women with a history of SA reported slightly higher difficulty completing homework assignments, but also slightly higher treatment satisfaction. These preliminary results suggest that eSense may be usable and helpful for women with a history of SA. We discuss ways to maximize the acceptability and efficacy of online programs for women with a history of SA.