The psychological burden of premature ejaculation

PURPOSE: Premature ejaculation is characterized by short ejaculatory latency, inability to control ejaculation and resultant overall decreased sexual satisfaction for the man and his partner. Diagnostic criteria typically include aspects of psychological well-being. To motivate and justify treatment for premature ejaculation a more comprehensive understanding of its impact on men, their partners and their overall relationship is needed. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In a community based, observational study of 1,587 men and their female partners clinicians diagnosed premature ejaculation using Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition, text revision criteria. For purposes of this analysis this group was further restricted to subjects with a stopwatch measured intravaginal ejaculatory latency time of 2 minutes or less. Responses to the Premature Ejaculation Profile, Self-Esteem and Relationship questionnaire, Golombok-Rust Inventory of Sexual Satisfaction and Medical Outcomes Study SF-36 were compared between premature ejaculation and nonpremature ejaculation groups. Correlations between responses of men and partners were assessed for the Premature Ejaculation Profile and Golombok-Rust Inventory of Sexual Satisfaction. Correlations among patient reported measures enabled the assessment of independence of outcome variables. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Of 207 men who met Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition, text revision criteria 89 had an intravaginal ejaculatory latency time of 2 minutes or less. Lower levels of sexual functioning and satisfaction, and higher levels of personal distress and interpersonal difficulty were reported by men with premature ejaculation and their partners. In addition, men with premature ejaculation rated their overall quality of life lower than that of men without premature ejaculation. Consequently premature ejaculation has a significant psychological burden on men, their partners and the male/partner relationship.