Comparison of the Effectiveness of "Cognitive Behavioral Therapy" and "Acceptance and Commitment Therapy" on Sexual Function in Postmenopausal Women

Sexual function is an important part of menopausal women's lives, and changes in it, especially during menopause, can affect their health. The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) on the sexual function of postmenopausal women.

This research was a quasi-experimental with pre-test, post-test and follow-up design with control group. The statistical population of the study included postmenopausal women who referred to Zanjan Health Center in 2020 to receive services. Among them, 45 were selected using the available sampling method and were randomly assigned to three groups of 15, and control group using randomly assigned block allocation method. Therapeutic sessions were held in 8 sessions and each session was held for 2 hours. Data were collected by FSFI (Female Sexual Function Index) and were analyzed using ANOVA with repeated measures analysis via SPSS software, version 24.

This study was approved by the ethics committee of the Zanjan University of Medical Sciences (Code: IR.ZUMS.REC.1398.328).

In the post-test and follow-up phase, there was a significant difference between both CBT and ACT methods compared to the control group in sexual function respectively (P<0.05, F=17.857), (P<0.05, F=12.115). That is, treatment with CBT and ACT improved the sexual function of postmenopausal women, which had a lasting effect for three months, and there was no significant difference between the groups involved in sexual function (P>0.05, F=0.494).

Cognitive-behavioral therapy and acceptance-based therapy have improved sexual function in postmenopausal women, so it is recommended that these therapies be used to improve the sexual function of postmenopausal women in health centers.