The Effectiveness of Fantasy (Phantasm) Training on Improving Sexual Desire, Arousal, and Marital Relationship Quality in Men Aged 30 to 50
Keywords:
Fantasy training, sexual desire, sexual arousal, middle-aged menAbstract
Sexual dysfunction and reduced quality of marital relationships are among the common problems observed in middle-aged men. The present study aimed to examine the effectiveness of fantasy (phantasm) training on improving sexual desire, arousal, and marital relationship quality in men aged 30 to 50. This study employed a quasi-experimental design with a pretest–posttest control group. The statistical population consisted of married men aged 30 to 50 who attended counseling centers in Tehran during the years 2024 and 2025. From this population, 30 participants were selected using purposive sampling and randomly assigned to an experimental group (n = 15) and a control group (n = 15). The experimental group received the fantasy training intervention, whereas the control group received no intervention. Research instruments included the ENRICH Marital Satisfaction Questionnaire (Olson, 1998) and the Sexual Function Questionnaire (Keller et al., 2006). Data were analyzed using multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) in SPSS software. The results indicated that fantasy training led to a significant improvement in sexual desire (F = 18.36, p < 0.01, effect size = 0.405), sexual arousal (F = 12.82, p < 0.01, effect size = 0.322), and marital relationship quality (F = 8.90, p < 0.01, effect size = 0.248) in the experimental group compared to the control group. The findings suggest that fantasy training can be used as an effective intervention to improve sexual functioning and enhance the quality of marital relationships among middle-aged men. These results highlight the importance of incorporating creative approaches in psychological interventions within the domain of sexual health.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Abolfazl Haddad (Author); Majid Mahmoodi Mozafar
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