The Effect of Sexual Counseling Based on PLISSIT Model on Sexual Function of Pregnant Women: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial

Abstract

Objectives: Several factors, including pregnancy which is associated with physical, psychological, and hormonal changes, affect females and their sexual partners’ relation and function. This study aimed to investigate the effect of "permission, limited information, specific suggestions, intensive therapy" (PLISSIT)-based sexual counseling on the sexual function of pregnant women. Materials and Methods: The present randomized controlled trial was performed on 70 pregnant women who had a sexual function score of less than the cut-off point within a gestation period of 16-20 weeks. The participants were randomly divided into intervention and control groups by the blocking method. The intervention group received individual counseling based on the PLISSIT model by a well-trained midwife while the control group only received the usual care for pregnancy. The primary outcome measures were the total score of female sexual function four weeks after the intervention. Finally, the data were collected using a questionnaire of personal and midwifery information, as well as the female sexual function index in previous stages and four weeks after the intervention. All analyses were based on the intention to treat the approach. Results: There was a significant difference between the mean total score of sexual function (adjusted mean difference: 9.07; 95% CI: 7.24 to 10.90) and all the sub-scales that intervention and control groups adjusted for baseline scores four weeks after the intervention (P<0.05). Consultation significantly reduced the frequency of sexual dysfunction and there was a significant difference between the 2 groups in this regard (P<0.001). Conclusions: Given the effect of sexual counseling on the improvement of sexual function of pregnant women based on the PLISSIT model, this approach is recommended during pregnancy.

Differences in the Sexual Function and Sexual Healthcare Needs of Pregnant Women Who Underwent in Vitro Fertilization and Women Who Conceived Naturally at Each Trimester: A Prospective Cohort Study

“…This interesting finding is inconsistent with previous studies, which reported the permission level was the first or core level of the PLISSIT model among Iranian women who became pregnant naturally and in an assessment of the perspectives of nurses in Taiwan. 23 , 37 Patients in eastern medical services may possibly have less authority at the permission level owing to the medical professional–centered paradigm of health care. 38 This finding provides a reminder of how nurses could actively provide SHC education in clinical practice.…”

“…PLISSIT-based counseling can reduce sexual problems and increase the sexual function of pregnant women. 23 Nurses must pay more attention to the negative impact of reduced sexual function among pregnant women and actively provide appropriate, comprehensive SHC suggestions in the clinic.…”

“… 22 The permission, limited information, specific suggestions, intensive therapy (PLISSIT) model provides a graded framework for SHC nursing. 2 , 23 , 24 The PLISSIT model has been validated to improve sexual function in patients with various disease processes 25 , 26 and during pregnancy. 23 By applying the “limited information” and “specific suggestion” levels of the PLISSIT, the Nursing Intervention on Sexual Healthcare (NISH) scale can be used to further assess the extent of nursing interventions required during SHC.…”

“…2,23,24 The PLISSIT model has been validated to improve sexual function in patients with various disease processes 25,26 and during pregnancy. 23 By applying the "limited information" and "specific suggestion" levels of the PLISSIT, the Nursing Intervention on Sexual Healthcare (NISH) scale can be used to further assess the extent of nursing interventions required during SHC. 27 Most previous investigations of the sexual function of infertile women were conducted as cross-sectional studies, thus the changes in the various domains of sexual function and SHC needs during the entire course of pregnancy are poorly characterized.…”

Effect of PLISSIT Based Sexual Counseling Model on Sexual Dysfunction among Diabetic Pregnant Women

“…The permission, limited information, specific suggestions, and intensive therapy (PLISSIT) model created by Jack S. Annon, in 1976, is also known as the PLISSIT model of sex therapy. This model is one of the most frequently used designs by health professionals for sexual assessment and counseling to determine the different levels of intervention for individual clients (Shahbazi, et al, 2018;Annon, 1976).…”