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Introduction.  Premature ejaculation (PE) is quite common. Although effective treatments do exist, only a few affected people consult a practitioner in order to overcome their problem. At the same time, studies have shown that reading didactical documents about their PE problem (bibliotherapy) can be useful to men. Aim.  The aim of this study was to improve the bibliotherapy approach using up‐to‐date knowledge and techniques. The expected benefits were the following: (i) an effective manual shorter than previous ones; (ii) easier to assimilate therapeutic principles; and (iii) a method thereby made accessible to a broad population most of whom usually do not consult for this type of sexual problem. Method.  A short bibliotherapy titled The Practical Guide of PE[in French] was tested among PE subjects who were diagnosed with PE according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition, text revision criteria. Assessments were made at baseline (N = 421), at 4–8 months (N = 120), and at 10–14 months (N = 79) after they read The Practical Guide. A control group of 66 subjects was left on a waiting list and was assessed 2 months after baseline. Main Outcome Measures.  The main outcome measures are self‐reported ejaculatory latency time, feeling of control upon ejaculation, sexual satisfaction, distress related to PE, anxiety experienced during sexual intercourse, and sexual cognitions (Sexual Irrationality Questionnaire). Results.  Significant improvements were found for all the self‐reported parameters, both at 4–8 and at 10–14 months after the bibliotherapy. The improvements were associated with an adjustment of sexual cognitions. The response to treatment seemed better for those subjects with moderate PE. Although the severity criteria used in this study did not precisely meet the International Society for Sexual Medicine criteria for lifelong PE, they were likely related. The response did not seem to be affected by variables such as age, education, or personality. Conclusion.  Its cost/benefit ratio makes The Practical Guide a valuable therapeutic tool. Kempeneers P, Andrianne R, Bauwens S, Georis I, Pairoux J‐F, and Blairy S. Clinical outcomes of a new self‐help booklet for premature ejaculation. J Sex Med 2012;9:2417–2428.

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Objective: The BibliothEP study aimed to assess the efficacy of a bibliotherapy for premature ejaculation (PE) Design and Method: The study was conducted in two phases. First, a sample of 120 participants suffering from PE read a concise cognitive behavioural self-help manual for PE (51 A5 pages including illustrations) and were compared after treatment to 66 waiting list controls. Second, 36 subjects received and read the self-help manual and were compared after treatment to 32 subjects having received the same manual plus a complementary brief guidance (45-90 minutes) from a coach not specialized in sex therapy, but who had been specifically trained to support the bibliotherapy intervention (by attending a 5-hour training module). The main outcome measures were self-determined latency time to ejaculation, feelings of control, sexual satisfaction, PE-related distress and subjective impression of improvement. Results: At 6-month posttreatment, all participants showed significant improvements as compared to waiting list condition. The improvements were maintained at 12 month. They were slightly greater in the case of complementary therapist support. Improvements were demonstrated for all forms of PE, but the intervention appeared to be slightly more effective when the problem was of moderate severity. In all cases, improvements in sexual functioning were accompanied by improvements in sexual cognitions. Conclusions: The cost-effectiveness of the self-help manual makes it a valuable first-line treatment for any form of PE. Moreover, the outcome of the bibliotherapy process might be increased by coaching from a health worker specifically trained to this aim.

ObjectifL’éjaculation précoce (EP) touche environ un homme sur cinq. Le projet BibliothEP (évaluation d’une bibliothérapie de l’EP) s’est fixé comme objectif d’élaborer un traitement à la fois efficace, simple, facile d’accès, bon marché, libre de toute toxicité et éventuellement applicable sans l’intrusion d’un tiers.MéthodeL’étude s’est déroulée en deux phases. La première comprenait 120 participants souffrant d’EP. Un manuel concis (51 pages A5) d’auto-traitement cognitivo-comportemental de l’EP leur a été donné à lire, suite à quoi ils ont été comparés à 66 sujets laissés en liste d’attente. La seconde phase comparait 36 sujets ayant lu le manuel à 32 autres qui, en plus du manuel, recevaient un bref accompagnement (45 à 90 minutes) par un professionnel de la santé. Les accompagnants n’étaient pas spécialisés en thérapie sexuelle mais ont reçu une formation de 5 heures les habilitant à soutenir et faciliter le processus d’auto-traitement. Les paramètres évalués après traitement comprenaient la latence éjaculatoire auto-estimée, le sentiment de contrôle sur l’éjaculation, la satisfaction sexuelle, la détresse relative à la situation et l’impression subjective d’amélioration.RésultatsSix mois après le traitement, tous les participants ont montré des améliorations significatives en comparaison des sujets laissés en liste d’attente. Ces améliorations persistaient à 12 mois. Elles étaient légèrement supérieures pour les participants ayant bénéficié d’une assistance. Des améliorations ont été trouvées pour toutes les formes du trouble mais l’intervention semble avoir été légèrement plus efficace lorsque l’EP était de sévérité modérée. Dans tous les cas, les améliorations du fonctionnement sexuel se sont accompagnées d’une amélioration des cognitions sexuelles.ConclusionsLe rapport coût/efficacité de la bibliothérapie en fait un instrument thérapeutique idéal en première ligne. Il semble en outre possible de majorer l’efficacité de la formule en la doublant d’une assistance par un intervenant expressément formé à cette fin.