Determination of the association between body image with sexual function and marital adjustment in fertile and infertile Women by path analysis modeling

Infertility has several adverse effects on body, psychological and social aspects of women. Otherwise, body image could be a predictor of different behaviors including sexual behavior. Thus, in the present study we aimed to assess the association between body image with sexual function and marital adjustment in fertile and infertile women. One-hundred and thirty fertile and 130 infertile women were enrolled in this study. Statistical analysis was performed by using AMOS 18 with structural equation modeling. In fertile women, the strongest path coefficient was related with the effect of body image on general health, while in infertile women, the strongest path coefficient was associated with the effect of body image on sexual function. In both occupying and non-occupying women the strongest path coefficient was related with the effect of body image on general health. In those infertile women who had the supports of their partners, the strongest path coefficient was associated with the effect of body image on sexual function, and in those infertile women who had not the supports of their partners; the strongest path coefficient belonged to the effect of sexual function on marital adjustment. Based on our results, it seems that using structural equation modeling in evaluating and recognition of direct, indirect and total effects of the similar model is absolutely necessary and can be a good alternative method instead of regression.