Comparison of the Effectiveness of Drug Therapy and Combined Cognitive Behavioral Therapy with Drug Therapy on Premature Ejaculation and Intravaginal Ejaculation Latency Time in Patients with Primary Premature Ejaculation Disorder

The present study aimed to compare the effectiveness of drug therapy and combined Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) with drug therapy on premature ejaculation and intravaginal ejaculation latency in patients with primary premature ejaculation disorder. The research utilized a semi-experimental design with a pre-test-post-test and a control group, incorporating a follow-up period of six and twelve months. The statistical population comprised all married individuals referred to psychological and counseling clinics in Kermanshah in 2021 for primary premature ejaculation treatment. The research sample consisted of 60 men selected purposively and randomly assigned to three experimental groups, along with one group waiting for treatment (15 people in each group). Data were collected using the Premature Ejaculation Diagnostic Instrument Questionnaire (PEDT, Simmonds et al., 2007) and a chronometer. Mixed variance analysis with repeated measures was employed for data analysis. The findings revealed that, respectively, the average scores of premature ejaculation (PE) and intravaginal ejaculation latency (IELT) in the drug therapy group at the post-test and six-month follow-up stage exhibited more significant decreases and increases compared to the CBT group with drug therapy. However, in the 12-month follow-up phase, the decrease in the mean scores of PE and the increase in the mean scores of IELT were higher in the CBT group with pharmacotherapy compared to pharmacotherapy alone. Additionally, the therapeutic effect remained in the drug therapy group until the six-month follow-up period (P<0.01). In contrast, the therapeutic effect in the CBT group with drug therapy remained stable until the twelve-month follow-up (P<0.01). The findings of this research can be applied in clinical and therapeutic interventions to improve and treat premature ejaculation and intravaginal ejaculation latency.