Sexual Dysfunctional Beliefs Questionnaire (SDBQ): Translation and Psychometric Properties of the Iranian Version

Sexual counseling for female sexual interest/arousal disorders: a randomized controlled trial based on the "good enough sex" model

BACKGROUND

Female sexual interest/arousal disorder (FSIAD) is the most common female sexual disorder with adverse effects on women's health and interpersonal relationships.

AIM

This survey evaluated the effects of sexual counseling based on the "good enough sex" (GES) model on the sexual health variables of women with FSIAD.

METHODS

A randomized clinical trial with a 1:1 allocation ratio was conducted among 80 women with FSIAD in Iran in 2021. Eligible participants were randomly assigned to group A (women) and group B (couples). Women attended 4 weekly online group sexual counseling sessions based on the GES model, each lasting 120 minutes. In group B, husbands participated in sessions 2 and 3.

OUTCOMES

Women's sexual health parameters-including sexual desire, sexual satisfaction, sexual function, sexual distress, sexual communication, frequency of sexual intercourse, and dysfunctional beliefs-were evaluated before and 3 months after counseling. The significance threshold considered P < .007 due to Bonferroni correction.

RESULTS

After the intervention, all sexual parameters except sexual dysfunctional beliefs showed significant improvement (P < .001) in both groups. During the follow-up period, the average scores for all sexual variables were slightly higher in group B vs group A. The between-group difference was significant only for frequency of sexual intercourse (P < .01).

CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS

This study reaffirms the impact of the GES model as biopsychosocial therapy in managing female sexual problems. Considering men's reluctance to accompany their wives to sex clinics, counseling for women alone can play a significant role in solving sexual problems, especially in the case of FSIAD. Online sexual consultation offers cost and time savings, provides a secure space for discussing sensitive topics, and facilitates group program coordination. It ensures universal access to counseling, thereby addressing gender incompatibility issues. It is a powerful, interactive, and acceptable alternative to in-person visits, providing convenience and confidentiality for clients seeking sexual health support.

STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS

The following were among the survey strengths: conducting a randomized controlled trial on women with FSIAD by applying an appropriate model and scales, involving spouses, and evaluating online group sexual counseling. However, the results of this study may not be generalizable to women without partners.

CONCLUSION

The GES model, emphasizing intimacy and sexual dialogue, reduces unrealistic sexual expectations and improves women's sexual desire and overall health. Our results showed that instead of insisting on the physical presence of husbands in counseling sessions, clinicians should emphasize their emotional support and companionship during the treatment process.

Development and psychometric evaluation of a Risky Sexual Behaviour Scale for Married Women (RSBS-MW) in Iran: a mixed-method study

A valid and reliable culture-based scale for the evaluation of risky sexual behaviours for married Iranian women is lacking. This study aimed to develop, and psychometrically test, a risky sexual behaviour scale for married Iranian women. A mixed-method sequential exploratory design was conducted from 2016 to 2020 in Tehran, Iran. First, a qualitative study was employed to define the concept of risky sexual behaviour using 16 semi-structured individual interviews and 10 focus group discussions (n = 100). Then, an item pool was generated, and the scale was developed. Finally, in the quantitative study, the psychometric properties of the scale were evaluated by validity and reliability tests. A maximum likelihood extraction with promax rotation was performed on 400 sexually active married women to assess the construct validity. The six components: (i) 'quality of sexual relations'; (ii) 'unusual pleasures in sexual relations'; (iii) 'sexual coercion'; (iv) 'verbal violence in sexual relations'; (v) 'self-care in sexual relations'; and (vi) 'concealment in sexual relations' could explain 57.49% of the total observed variance. The findings showed that the 27-item Risky Sexual Behaviour Scale (RSBS-MW) for married women in Iran has excellent internal consistency (α = 0.94) and stability (ICC = 0.98). Health care providers can use it to access risky sexual behaviours in married Iranian women.

Validation of an Arabic version of the female version of The Sexual Dysfunctional Beliefs Questionnaire: a factor analysis study

Several questionnaires have been developed to evaluate female sexual dysfunction (FSD) and sexual health problems. However, there is a lack of validated versions of these questionnaires in Arabic. One of the most used instruments is the female version of The Sexual Dysfunctional Beliefs Questionnaire (SDBQ). The current study aimed to validate an Arabic version of the SDBQ. The Arabic version of SDBQ-Female was incorporated into an online questionnaire using and distributed among Jordanian Facebook groups and women-only groups. Factor analysis was performed to investigate evidence for the validity of the questionnaire. 530 females (mean age 30 years, SD = 9) completed the questionnaire. Principal component analysis produced the final model composed of 24 items distributed across four factors: Sexual Desire & Pleasure, Affection Primacy, Sexual Conservatism and Age-Related Beliefs. Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted, and fit indices were acceptable (CMIN/DF = 2.52, GFI = 0.91, AGFI = 0.89, CFI = 0.90, SRMR = 0.05 and RMSEA = 0.05). Income level and marital status both influenced FSD beliefs, with higher scores associated with higher income and being single. The Arabic version of the SDBQ-female demonstrated evidence of validity and reliability. Additional research is necessary to explore beliefs related to FSD within an Arabic context.

The Effect of a Midwife-Based Group Discussion Education on Sexual Dysfunction Beliefs in Rural Postmenopausal Women

Introduction

Correcting sexual beliefs can affect women's sexual function. There are very limited interventional studies on correcting the sexual dysfunction beliefs in postmenopausal women living in rural areas. Therefore, the present study was carried out with the aim of investigating the effect of a midwife-based group education on sexual dysfunction beliefs in one group of rural postmenopausal women.

Methods

The present study was a quasi-experimental pre-post design without a control group. The study population included rural menopausal women who referred to rural health centers. The study sample consisted of 50 participants who have all received education program. The education was held in six group discussion sessions. The data gathering tool used in this study was the Sexual Dysfunctional Beliefs Questionnaire which was completed before and after the education. This questionnaire consists of 33 items and includes 6 subscales.

Results

The mean age of participants was 53.26 years. Approximately half of the participants (48%) had primary education. The mean scores of sexual dysfunction beliefs before and after education were 114.58 and 58.56, respectively (p-value<0.001). The mean scores of sexual conersations, affection primacy, motherhood-related beliefs, sexual desire and pleasure as sin beliefs, age-related beliefs, and body image beliefs before intervention were 14.38, 21.38, 13.9, 23.64, 20.74, 17.04, respectively, and after intervention were 6.9, 11.80, 8.64, 12.48, 7.7, 9.40, respectively.

Conclusion

Rural postmenopausal women had problems with sexual dysfunction beliefs. A midwife-based group discussion education on this matter had significantly improved the sexual dysfunction beliefs in them. Further studies are needed in this regard.

A Place for Sexual Dysfunctions in an Empirical Taxonomy of Psychopathology

Sexual dysfunctions commonly co-occur with various depressive and anxiety disorders. An emerging framework for understanding the classification of mental disorders suggests that such comorbidity is a manifestation of underlying dimensions of psychopathology (or "spectra"). In this review, we synthesize the evidence that sexual dysfunctions should be included in the empirical taxonomy of psychopathology as part of the internalizing spectrum, which accounts for comorbidity among the depressive and anxiety disorders. The review has four parts. Part 1 summarizes the empirical basis and utility of the empirical taxonomy of psychopathology. Part 2 reviews the prima facie evidence for the hypothesis that sexual dysfunctions are part of the internalizing spectrum (i.e., high rates of comorbidity; shared cognitive, affective, and temperament characteristics; common neural substrates and biomarkers; shared course and treatment response; and the lack of causal relationships between them). Part 3 critically analyzes and integrates the results of the eight studies that have addressed this hypothesis. Finally, Part 4 examines the implications of reconceptualizing sexual dysfunctions as part of the internalizing spectrum, and explores avenues for future research.