(606) Sexual Myths and Erectile Function: Is There a Link? The Preliminary Results of A Clinic-Based Cross-Sectional Analysis Using IIEF-5

Introduction Sexual myths, which are culturally ingrained yet lack scientific support, are posited to affect sexual attitudes, self-perception, and anxiety. In men, such beliefs may cultivate maladaptive expectations concerning masculinity, performance, or sexual roles, which could adversely affect erectile function. Empirical evidence connecting sexual myth endorsement to erectile dysfunction (ED) is limited, especially in clinical populations outside of Western contexts. Objective To investigate the relationship between erectile function and sexual myths across multiple cognitive domains of the Sexual Myths Scale (Çayan et al., 2017) among men attending a urology outpatient clinic.To investigate the relationship between erectile function and sexual myths across multiple cognitive domains of the Turkish validated form of Sexual Myths Scale (Golbası et al., 2016) among men attending a urology outpatient clinic. Methods This analytical cross-sectional study included 74 adult men presenting to a urology clinic in Türkiye for various reasons. Participants completed the 5-item International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5) and the Sexual Myths Scale (SMS), which measures beliefs across eight domains: sexual orientation, gender roles, age and sexuality, sexual behavior, masturbation, sexual violence, sexual intercourse, and sexual satisfaction. A total myth score was computed by summing subscale points. Erectile dysfunction was defined as IIEF-5 ≤ 21. Correlations between erectile function and each SMS domain were analyzed using Spearman’s ρ. Group comparisons between ED and non-ED participants were performed with Mann–Whitney U tests, and Cliff’s δ was calculated for effect size. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Results The mean age was 36.5 ± 7.3 years; 58.1% met the criterion for ED. The mean IIEF-5 score was 20.5 ± 3.6, while the mean total SMS score was 82.2 ± 22.7. Across subscales, mean values were: sexual orientation 18.97 ± 4.92; gender roles 17.15 ± 6.57; age and sexuality 10.15 ± 3.89; sexual behavior 7.82 ± 3.52; masturbation 6.24 ± 2.51; sexual violence 9.19 ± 4.10; sexual intercourse 6.47 ± 2.58; and sexual satisfaction 6.16 ± 2.28. No significant correlations were found between erectile function and any SMS domain (ρ = –0.12 to 0.06; all p > 0.05). Similarly, total myth scores did not differ between ED and non-ED groups (median 84 vs 80; p = 0.62; δ = 0.93). Figure 1 illustrates the near-zero correlation pattern between IIEF-5 and all subscales. Conclusions In this sample from a urology clinic, sexual myths showed no significant association with erectile function. Despite the continued prevalence of myth endorsement, the lack of measurable effects on erectile scores indicates that these beliefs may not adversely affect erectile performance. Nonetheless, their persistence illustrates wider sociocultural narratives that may impact sexual confidence, help-seeking behavior, or partner communication. Future multicenter and culturally comparative studies should investigate larger, more diverse populations to determine if dismantling sexual myths indirectly enhances sexual health literacy, promotes earlier presentation for erectile dysfunction, or improves therapeutic adherence. Disclosure No