Effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy on Sexual Function, Sexual Self-Consciousness and Sexual Assertiveness among Women with Sexual Dysfunction

Aim and Healthy sexual function is a sign of physical and mental health and creates a mutual sense of pleasure among couples. Due to the importance of women's sexual and psychological processes, the aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) on sexual function, sexual self-consciousness, and sexual assertiveness in women of 20-50 years of age in Isfahan, Iran.
Methods and Materials: This study was conducted with pretest-posttest and 1 month follow-up. The study subjects were 20 married women who referred to women’s parturition and psychiatric clinics in Isfahan and had been diagnosed with sexual dysfunction based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-5th edition (DSM-5) in the spring of 2015. The subjects were assigned to two groups (n = 10). The experimental group received 10 sessions (each session lasted 45 minutes) of ACT and the control group did not receive any intervention. The data collection tools consisted of a demographic questionnaire, the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) (Rosen et al.), Sexual Self-Consciousness Scale (SSCS) (van Lankveld et al.), and Hurlbert Index of Sexual Assertiveness (HISA).
Findings: ACT was effective on improvement of sexual function, sexual self-consciousness, and sexual assertiveness (P According to the results, ACT can be used for improvement of sexual function, sexual self-consciousness, and sexual assertiveness.