Abstract
Thirty men with psychogenic erectile dysfunction were instructed to concentrate on cognitions that facilitate erection during one baseline and four training sessions. The subjects were divided into three groups that received either continuous feedback of erection changes plus segments of erotic film delivered contingent on erection increases, contingent film segments without continuous feedback, or noncontingent film segments. Although subjects who received noncontingent film segments initially showed greater erection increase than did subjects in the contingent feedback groups, the groups did not differ by the final training session. However, when subjects were instructed to facilitate erection without the aid of feedback or film segments during evaluation trials that followed each training session, subjects who had received contingent film without continuous feedback showed greater erectile responsivity than subjects in other groups. The groups did not differ in the amount of clinical improvement shown on self-report measures concerning erectile functioning during a 1-month follow-up period. Although these results indicate that the provision of erotic film feedback enhances the voluntary facilitation of erection in the laboratory, the therapeutic value of erectile feedback remains undemonstrated.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Abramson, P. R., and Mosher, D. L. (1975). Development of a measure of negative attitudes toward masturbation.J. Consult. Clin. Psychol. 43: 485–490.
Barlow, D. H., Agras, W. S., Abel, G. G., Blanchard, E. B., and Young, L. D. (1975). Biofeedback and reinforcement to increase heterosexual arousal in homosexuals.Behav. Res. Ther. 13: 45–50.
Bentler, P. M. (1968). Heterosexual behavior assessment. I. Males.Behav. Res. Ther. 6: 1–8.
Csillag, E. R. (1976). Modification of penile erectile response.J. Behav. Ther. Exp. Psychiat. 7: 27–29.
Hathaway, S., and McKinley, J. (1943).The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory Psychological Corporation, New York.
Henson, D. E., and Rubin, J. B. (1971). Voluntary control of eroticism.J. Appl. Behav. Anal. 4: 37–44.
Herman, S. H., and Prewett, M. (1974). An experimental analysis of feedback to increase sexual arousal in a case of homosexual and heterosexual impotence: A preliminary report.J. Behav. Ther. Exp. Psychiat. 5: 271–274.
Kaplan, H. S. (1974).The New Sex Therapy: Active Treatment of Sexual Dysfunction Quadrangle/The New York Times Book Co., New York.
Keppel, G. (1973).Design and Analysis: A Researcher's Handbook Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, N.J.
Laws, D. R., and Rubin, H. B. (1969). Instructional control of an autonomic sexual response.J. Appl. Behav. Anal. 2: 93–99.
LoPiccolo, J., and Stegar, J. C. (1974). The sexual interaction inventory: A new instrument for assessment of sexual dysfunction.Arch. Sex. Behav. 3: 585–595.
Masters, W. H., and Johnson, V. E. (1970).Human Sexual Inadequacy Little, Brown, Boston.
Nelson, E. C. (1973). Attention to heterosexual imagery as eliciting stimuli for autonomic sexual arousal in males. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of California, Los Angeles.
Obler, M. (1973). Systematic desensitization in sexual disorders.J. Behav. Ther. Exp. Psychiat. 4: 93–101.
Price, S., and Heinrich, A. G. (1975). Goals for Sex Therapy—Male. Upublished questionnaire, University of California, Los Angeles.
Quinn, J. T., Harbison, J. J. M., and McAllister, H. (1970). An attempt to shape human penile responses.Behav. Ther. 8: 213–216.
Reynolds, B. S. (1978). Erection Difficulty Questionnaire. Unpublished questionnaire, University of California, Los Angeles.
Rosen, R. C. (1973). Suppression of penile tumescence by instrumental conditioning.Psychosom. Med. 35: 509–514.
Rosen, R. C., Shapiro, D., and Schwartz, G. E. (1975). Voluntary control of penile tumescence.Psychosom. Med. 37: 479–483.
Rubin, H. B., and Henson, D. E. (1975). Voluntary enhancement of penile erection.Bull. Psychonomic Soc. 6: 158–160.
Sheehan, P. W. (1967). A shortened form of Bett's questionnaire upon mental imagery.J. Clin. Psychol. 23: 386–389.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
This research was supported in part by National Institute of Mental Health Biomedical Research Support Grant 434771-32602, awarded through the Neuropsychiatric Institute, University of California, Los Angeles.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Reynolds, B.S. Biofeedback and facilitation of erection in men with erectile dysfunction. Arch Sex Behav 9, 101–113 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01542262
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01542262