Volume 11 - Articles-1400                   MEJDS (2021) 11: 71 | Back to browse issues page

XML Persian Abstract Print


Download citation:
BibTeX | RIS | EndNote | Medlars | ProCite | Reference Manager | RefWorks
Send citation to:

Safar Mohammadlou N, Mollazadeh A, Meschi F. Comparing the Effects of Emotion-Focused Therapy and Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy on the Quality of Sexual Life and Sexual Function in Women with Breast Cancer. MEJDS 2021; 11 :71-71
URL: http://jdisabilstud.org/article-1-2452-en.html
1- Department of Psychology, UAE International Branch, Islamic Azad University
2- Department of Psychology, Ashtian Branch, Islamic Azad University
3- Department of Psychology, Karaj Branch, Islamic Azad University
Abstract:   (1409 Views)
Background & Objectives: One of the main issues in women with breast cancer is their quality of sexual life. Studies suggested that in different countries, women with breast cancer feel that their sexual function has changed due to the disease and its treatment. Research indicated that cancer disrupts sexual function and self–esteem, leading to negative body image, reduced femininity, and decreased sexual activity. Emotion–Focused Therapy (EFT) is among the short–term treatment strategies to help women with breast cancer cope with emotional communication disorders. Coping with emotions is among the recent moves in family therapy and psychotherapy services. Moreover, CBT is a psychotherapy approach that could attract extensive interest in clinical specialists. Thus, this study aimed to compare the effects of EFT and CBT on the quality of sexual life and sexual function in women with breast cancer.
Methods: This was a quasi–experimental study with a multi–group pretest–posttest–follow–up and a control group design. The statistical population of the present study was all married women with breast cancer referring to Milad Hospital in Tehran City, Iran, in 2020. Forty–Five patients who met the inclusion criteria were included in the study. The study sample was selected by non–random sampling method; they were divided into two experimental groups (CBT & EFT), and a control group (n=15/group). The inclusion criteria of the study were having a minimum diploma education and the age range of 20–50 years. The exclusion criteria were any biopsychological illnesses other than breast cancer that would interfere with the study variables. The necessary data was gathered in pretest, posttest, and follow–up stages by the Sexual Quality of Life–Female (SQOL–F; Simmonds et al., 2005) and Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI; Rosen et al., 2005). CBT was performed based on the CBT package of Young et al. (2001) in 10 sessions. Besides, EFT was conducted based on the therapy package of Johnson (2004) in 10 sessions. After 4 months, the follow–up test was re–performed in the experimental groups. Moreover, data analysis was performed using descriptive statistics (frequency, percentage, mean, & standard deviation) and inferential statistics, including repeated–measures Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and Bonferroni posthoc test in SPSS at the significance level of 0.05.
Results: The current research results suggested that the quality of sexual life was significant respecting the effect of time (p=0.001); however, sexual function was not significant in this regard (p=0.450). There was a significant correlation between the interaction of group * time and the quality of sexual life (p=0.001); however, this interaction was not observed in sexual function (p=0.958). There was a significant difference in the quality of sexual life between the experimental and control groups (p=0.001); however, sexual function was not statistically significant (p=0.762). Furthermore, in the posttest and follow–up stages, there was a significant difference between the EFT, CBT, and control groups (p=0.001). There was no significant difference between the CBT and control groups in the posttest and follow–up stages (p=0.948 & p=0.738, respectively).
Conclusion: The present study results signified the effects of EFT as a supportive method in increasing the quality of sexual life among women with breast cancer.
Full-Text [PDF 490 kb]   (637 Downloads)    
Type of Study: Original Research Article | Subject: Psychology

References
1. Griffiths S, Murray SB, Mitchison D, Castle D, Mond JM. Relative strength of the associations of body fat, muscularity, height, and penis size dissatisfaction with psychological quality of life impairment among sexual minority men. Psychology of Men & Masculinities. 2019;20(1):55–60. [DOI]
2. van den Brink F, Vollmann M, Smeets MAM, Hessen DJ, Woertman L. Relationships between body image, sexual satisfaction, and relationship quality in romantic couples. J Fam Psychol. 2018;32(4):466–74. [DOI]
3. Bonfils KA, Firmin RL, Salyers MP, Wright ER. Sexuality and intimacy among people living with serious mental illnesses: Factors contributing to sexual activity. Psychiatr Rehabil J. 2015;38(3):249–55. [DOI]
4. Smith DM, Wang SB, Carter ML, Fox KR, Hooley JM. Longitudinal predictors of self-injurious thoughts and behaviors in sexual and gender minority adolescents. J Abnorm Psychol. 2020;129(1):114–21. [DOI]
5. Wadsworth LP, Hayes-Skelton SA. Differences among lesbian, gay, bisexual, heterosexual individuals, and those who reported an other identity on an open-ended response on levels of social anxiety. Psychol Sex Orientat Gend Divers. 2015;2(2):181–7. [DOI]
6. Manganiello A, Hoga LAK, Reberte LM, Miranda CM, Rocha CAM. Sexuality and quality of life of breast cancer patients post mastectomy. Eur J Oncol Nurs. 2011;15(2):167–72. [DOI]
7. Johnson S, Zuccarini D. Integrating sex and attachment in emotionally focused couple therapy. J Marital Fam Ther. 2010;36(4):431–45. [DOI]
8. Pietrangelo A. CBT Techniques: tools for cognitive behavioral therapy [Internet]. Healthline; 2019. Available from: [Article]
9. Aliakbari Dehkordi M. Relationship between women sexual function and marital adjustment. International Journal of Behavioral Sciences. 2010;4(3):199–206. [Persian] [Article]
10. Morgan BL, Voorhis CRWV. Understanding power and rules of thumb for determining sample sizes. Tutorials in Quantitative Methods for Psychology. 2007;3(2):43–50.
11. Rosen R, Brown C, Heiman J, Leiblum S, Meston C, Shabsigh R, et al. The Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI): a multidimensional self-report instrument for the assessment of female sexual function. J Sex Marital Ther. 2000;26(2):191–208. [DOI]
12. Safarinejad MR. Female sexual dysfunction in a population-based study in Iran: prevalence and associated risk factors. Int J Impot Res. 2006;18(4):382–95. [DOI]
13. Symonds T, Boolell M, Quirk F. Development of a questionnaire on sexual quality of life in women. J Sex Marital Ther. 2005;31(5):385–97. [DOI]
14. Alvandi Jam A, Afshari A, Talebi M, Abbasi R. The effect of Sexual rehabilitation on (Sexual) quality of life for hemodialysis patients referred to dialysis center in Labafinejad Hospital. Avicenna Journal of Nursing and Midwifery Care. 2014;22(4):45–52. [Persian] [Article]
15. Young JE, Weinberger AD, Beck AT. Cognitive therapy for depression. In: Barlow DH. editor. Clinical handbook of psychological disorders: a step-by-step treatment manual. New York: Guilford Press; 2001. pp: 264-308.
16. Johnson SM. Creating connection: the practice of emotionally focused couple therapy . New York: Brunner–Routledge; 2004.
17. Spence JT, Losoff M, Robbins AS. Sexually aggressive tactics in dating relationships: personality and attitudinal correlates. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology. 1991;10(3):289–304. [DOI]
18. Meston CM, Hull E, Levin RJ, Sipski M. Disorders of orgasm in women. J Sex Med. 2004;1(1):66–8. [DOI]
19. Ahmadnia E, Haseli A, Karamat A. therapeutic interventions conducted on improving women’s sexual satisfaction and function during reproductive ages in Iran: a systematic review. Journal of Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences. 2017;27(153):146–62. [Persian] [Article]
20. Ter Kuile MM, Both S, van Lankveld JJDM. Cognitive behavioral therapy for sexual dysfunctions in women. Psychiatr Clin North Am. 2010;33(3):595–610. [DOI]
21. Ahlborg T, Dahlöf L-G, Hallberg LR-M. Quality of intimate and sexual relationship in first-time parents six months after delivery. J Sex Res. 2005;42(2):167–74. [DOI]
22. Eden KJ, Wylie KR. Quality of sexual life and menopause. Womens Health (Lond). 2009;5(4):385–96. [DOI]
23. Agustí C, Fernández L, Mascort J, Carrillo R, Casabona J. Problems in diagnosing sexually transmitted infections and human immunodeficiency virus in primary health care in Spain. Enferm Infecc Microbiol Clin. 2013;31(7):451–4. [Spanish] [DOI]
24. McKinnon JM, Greenberg LS. Revealing underlying vulnerable emotion in couple therapy: impact on session and final outcome. Journal of Family Therapy. 2013;35(3):303–19. [DOI]

Add your comments about this article : Your username or Email:
CAPTCHA

Send email to the article author


Rights and permissions
Creative Commons License This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

© 2025 CC BY-NC 4.0 | Middle Eastern Journal of Disability Studies

Designed & Developed by : Yektaweb