CClinicalTrials.gg
CompletedNCT06354283Updated Apr 9, 2024

Progressive Muscle Relaxation Exercises Women With Low Sexual Satisfaction Sexual Satisfaction and Functioning of Women and Their Partners

An interventional study of Progressive Muscle Relaxation Exercises in Women With Low Sexual Satisfaction and Partners of Women With Low Sexual Satisfaction, sponsored by Halic University. Completed at 1 site in Turkey. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 35 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2024-04-09.

Sponsored by Halic University · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment

From the registry’s dates

  • Registered 11 months after the study started (first participant enrolled Apr 2023, registered Apr 2024).
Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
120
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years to 35 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of progressive muscle relaxation exercises on sexual satisfaction and functioning of women and their partners in women with low sexual satisfaction.

Method: The single-blind, randomized controlled study was conducted between April 2023 and January 2024. The sample of the study was women with low sexual satisfaction and their partners were randomized into two groups as intervention and control. Each group consisted of 120 couples, n=60. The women in the intervention group were given progressive muscle relaxation techniques three times a week for four weeks. The results of the study focused on the effect on sexual satisfaction and functioning of men and women.

Read the detailed description

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of progressive muscle relaxation exercises on sexual satisfaction and functioning of women and their partners in women with low sexual satisfaction.

Hypotheses H1: Progressive muscle relaxation techniques increase sexual satisfaction in women with low sexual satisfaction.

H2: Progressive muscle relaxation techniques positively affect sexual function in women with low sexual satisfaction.

H3: Progressive muscle relaxation techniques increase sexual satisfaction of partners in women with low sexual satisfaction.

H4: Progressive muscle relaxation techniques positively affect sexual function of partners in women with low sexual satisfaction.

While the population of the study consisted of women aged 18-35 years, the minimum sample size was calculated using G Power. Accordingly, it was found that the number of women to be sampled should be 44 for each group, totaling 88 women. Considering that there would be losses, the sample was planned to be 60 couples for each group, totaling 120 couples. There were no losses during the study.

Sample Selection Criteria; Women who had an active sexual life, were of childbearing age (18-35 years), had the same partner for the last year, had not given birth before, and scored between 20-40 on the New Sexual Satisfaction Scale were included.

Sample Exclusion Criteria; Women and their partners who had chronic gynecological diseases, whose own and/or partner used psychiatric drugs, who were pregnant during the study, who had diagnoses that prevented sexuality such as vaginusmus, erectile dysfunction, etc., who scored below 11 on the Arizona Sexual Life Scale were not included in the study.

The study was announced on social media and online to identify women and men who met the sample selection criteria. Couples who scored between 20-40 on the New Sexual Satisfaction Scale for women and 11 or higher on the Arizona Sexual Life Scale for men and women were randomized into two groups. A data collection form was applied to the couples included in the sample.

Progressive muscle relaxation techniques were explained to the women from the couples assigned to the Intervention Group by a researcher. In addition to relaxation exercises, deep breathing movements were also explained to the women and progressive muscle relaxation exercises and breathing exercises were performed together. The importance of the exercises and how to do them were explained to the women by the researcher for about 30 minutes and then demonstrated practically for 30 minutes. Each progressive muscle relaxation exercise session lasted approximately 20-25 minutes. The women in the intervention group continued the exercises at home three times a week for four weeks. The women in the intervention group were telephoned once a week by the researcher to provide reminders and counseling about the study (Progressive muscle relaxation steps were given as an additional file).

The Control Group was followed up by continuing the daily routine. At the end of two and four weeks, the New Sexual Satisfaction Scale and Arizona Sexual Life Scale were administered to all women and their partners.

02

Conditions studied

  • Women With Low Sexual Satisfaction
  • Partners of Women With Low Sexual Satisfaction

Keywords

  • Sexual Satisfaction
  • Progressive Muscle Relaxation Exercises
  • Sexual Functioning
03

In context

Lead sponsor

Halic University is the lead sponsor of 80 studies on the registry; 12 are open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years to 35 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

  • Women who had active sexual life, were of childbearing age (18-35 years), had the same partner for the last year, had not given birth before, and scored between 20-40 on the New Sexual Satisfaction Scale were included.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Women and their partners who had chronic gynecological diseases, who were using psychiatric medication for themselves and/or their partners, who were pregnant at the time of the study, who had diagnoses that hindered sexuality such as vaginismus, erectile dysfunction, etc., and who scored below 11 on the Arizona Sexual Life Scale were not included in the study.
05

Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
Double (Investigator, Outcomes assessor)
Enrollment
120 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Intervention

    Progressive muscle relaxation techniques were explained to the women from the couples assigned to the Intervention Group by a researcher. In addition to relaxation exercises, deep breathing movements were also explained to the women and progressive muscle relaxation exercises and breathing exercises were performed together. The importance of the exercises and how to do them were explained to the women for about 30 minutes by the researcher and then demonstrated practically for 30 minutes. Each progressive muscle relaxation exercise session lasted approximately 20-25 minutes. The women in the intervention group continued the exercises at home three times a week for four weeks. The women in the intervention group were telephoned once a week by the researcher to provide reminders and counseling regarding the study

    Behavioral: Progressive Muscle Relaxation Exercises

  • No intervention
    Control

    The study was announced on social media and online to identify women and men who met the sample selection criteria. Couples who scored between 20-40 on the New Sexual Satisfaction Scale for women and 11 or higher on the Arizona Sexual Life Scale for men and women were randomized into two groups. A data collection form was applied to the couples included in the sample. The Control Group was followed up by continuing the daily routine. At the end of two and four weeks, the New Sexual Satisfaction Scale and Arizona Sexual Life Scale were administered to all women and their partners.

Interventions

  • BehavioralProgressive Muscle Relaxation Exercises

    Progressive muscle relaxation techniques were explained to the women from the couples assigned to the Intervention Group by a researcher. In addition to relaxation exercises, deep breathing movements were also explained to the women and progressive muscle relaxation exercises and breathing exercises were performed together. The importance of the exercises and how to do them were explained to the women by the researcher for about 30 minutes and then demonstrated practically for 30 minutes. Each progressive muscle relaxation exercise session lasted approximately 20-25 minutes. The women in the intervention group continued the exercises at home three times a week for four weeks.

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Sexual Satisfaction

    The scale consists of 20 items. The 5-point Likert-type scale is scored as (1) I am not satisfied at all (2) I am somewhat satisfied (3) I am moderately satisfied (4) I am very satisfied (5) I am extremely satisfied. The lowest score that can be obtained from the scale is 20 and the highest score is 100. The scale consists of a self-centered sub-dimension and a partner/ sexual activity-centered sub-dimension. These two subscales represent the New Sexual Satisfaction Scale. The self-centered sub-dimension consists of items 1-10 and the partner/ sexual activity-centered sub-dimension consists of items 11-20. Scoring is calculated by summing the items. A high score on the scale indicates good sexual satisfaction. There are no reverse scored items in the scale.

    Time frame: Pre-intervention, 2nd and 4th weeks after intervention

Secondary outcomes

  1. Sexual Function

    It was used to include women and men in the sample and to evaluate sexual function during follow-up. The scale, which has separate male and female forms, is filled in by the patients and no special training is required for its interpretation. The scale consists of five items on a six-point Likert scale with a score range of 5-30 and an increase in the total score indicates sexual dysfunction. According to Soykan, a scale score of ≥11 is the cut-off point for sexual dysfunction. In the validity and reliability study in Turkey, the scale was found to have high internal consistency and reliability with Cronbach's α values of 0.89-0.90 and to be valid in differentiating sexual dysfunction. In this study, it was 0.78 in men and 0.82 in women.

    Time frame: Pre-intervention, 2nd and 4th weeks after intervention

07

Study locations

1 site
  • Fatma Şule Bilgiç
    Istanbul, Turkey
08

References and documents

Individual participant data

Plan to share: No — It is appropriate to present it after publication

No publications or documents are linked to this record.

09

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Apr 9, 2024, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT06354283
Lead sponsor
Halic University
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Apr 9, 2024
Start date
Apr 10, 2023
Primary completion
Jan 30, 2024
Completion
Feb 8, 2024
Last update
Apr 9, 2024

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
Yes
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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