Enhancing Marital Sexuality: An Evaluation of a Program for the Sexual Enrichment of Normal Couples

Abstract

The popular but little researched sexual enrichment program developed by LoPiccolo and Miller was modified and the revised Enhancing Marital Sexuality (EMS) program was evaluated using the Sexual Interaction Inventory (SII) and the Dyadic Adjustment Scale (DAS). A pretest-posttest-follow-up control group design was used to assess the effectiveness of EMS in improving couples' sexual and marital satisfaction. Thirty-four couples were randomly assigned (with replacements) to either the no-treatment control condition or the 11-hour EMS program. Results indicated extensive short-term improvements in sexual satisfaction for both sexes and some short-term gains in marital satisfaction for couples. At 3-month follow-up, improvement was sustained on SII scales of perceptual accuracy for both sexes, and on self-acceptance and pleasure scales for females. No marital satisfaction gains were evident at follow-up. It was concluded that long-term sexual satisfaction gains, especially for females, justify the continued use and refinement of the EMS program. Findings also indicated that marital satisfaction may be too broad a category to be affected by educational training with as specific a focus as sexual enhancement. Suggestions are made for further research.