Hurlbert · Journal of sex & marital therapy 1995 · randomized controlled trial · n=36

The coital alignment technique and directed masturbation: a comparative study on female orgasm.

Cited 130 times in the scientific literature.

Level 2 - randomized trial

Individual randomized controlled trial

PubMed 7608994 · doi:10.1080/00926239508405968 · record verified 2026-08-27

What was done

A randomized trial evaluated two behavioral interventions among a non-clinical sample of 36 married women and their spouses. Couples were randomly assigned to a sexual enrichment workshop focused either on the coital alignment technique (19 women) or directed masturbation (17 women). Outcomes assessed included female orgasm consistency during intercourse, orgasm strength, and total orgasms during partner-related activities.

What was found

The abstract reports no raw numbers, effect sizes, or p-values. It notes that both workshops produced improvements in intercourse orgasm consistency, orgasm strength, and the total number of partner-related orgasms. For intercourse orgasm consistency specifically, the coital alignment technique produced a somewhat more positive outcome than directed masturbation.

Why it matters

The study suggests that structured instructional techniques, particularly the coital alignment technique, can improve female orgasmic consistency during partnered intercourse.

Limits

The sample size is very small (36 women across two arms), and no numerical statistics are provided in the abstract. The findings are restricted to a non-clinical cohort of married couples, limiting generalizability to clinical populations with diagnosed orgasmic disorders, unmarried individuals, or diverse relationship contexts. There was no inactive or waitlist control group.

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