Psychology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA.
Psychology, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio, USA.
Clin Psychol Psychother. 2017 Nov;24(6):1246-1253. doi: 10.1002/cpp.2085. Epub 2017 Apr 11.
Nearly one-third of individuals in treatment for substance use disorders endorse at-risk levels of compulsive sexual behaviours (CSBs). Untreated sexual compulsivity may facilitate relapse for treatment-seeking men. Previous research and theory suggest that CSBs are maintained by efforts to escape or alter negative affect (e.g., depression and anxiety). However, this hypothesis has not been examined within a sample of men in treatment for substance use disorders. In an effort to better understand CSBs within a population of men with substance use disorders, the present study is the first to examine experiential avoidance as one potential mechanism underlying the relation between men's symptoms of depression and anxiety and their use of CSBs. The present study reviewed medical records of 150 men in residential treatment for substance use disorders. Structural equation modelling was used to examine pathways from men's depression and anxiety symptoms to CSBs directly and indirectly through experiential avoidance while controlling for alcohol/drug problems and use. Results revealed significant indirect effects of both depression and anxiety symptoms on CSB through experiential avoidance. These results support and extend existing research on CSB in a treatment population. Findings suggest that intervention efforts for CSB may benefit by targeting men's avoidance of painful internal events.
Compulsive sexual behaviour is related to symptoms of depression and anxiety amongst men in residential treatment for substance use disorders. Experiential avoidance is positively related to compulsive sexual behaviour amongst men with substance use disorders. For men in treatment for substance use disorders, the relation between symptoms of depression and anxiety and compulsive sexual behaviour is explained, in part, by experiential avoidance. Helping men with substance use disorders develop more adaptive methods of processing aversive experiences, as opposed to escaping them, may reduce their use of compulsive sexual behaviours when faced with aversive affect.
近三分之一接受物质使用障碍治疗的个体表现出有风险的强迫性性行为（CSB）水平。未经治疗的性强迫可能会促进寻求治疗的男性复发。先前的研究和理论表明，CSB 是通过努力逃避或改变负面情绪（例如，抑郁和焦虑）来维持的。然而，在接受物质使用障碍治疗的男性样本中，尚未检验这一假设。为了在接受物质使用障碍治疗的男性人群中更好地理解 CSB，本研究首次检查了经验回避作为男性抑郁和焦虑症状与 CSB 使用之间关系的潜在机制之一。本研究回顾了 150 名接受物质使用障碍住院治疗的男性的病历。结构方程模型用于直接检查男性抑郁和焦虑症状与 CSB 之间的关系，以及通过经验回避间接检查关系，同时控制酒精/药物问题和使用。结果表明，抑郁和焦虑症状通过经验回避对 CSB 有显著的间接影响。这些结果支持并扩展了治疗人群中 CSB 的现有研究。研究结果表明，针对男性回避痛苦的内部事件的干预措施可能会使 CSB 的干预受益。
