Kolbuszewska Marta T, Tavares Inês M, Nobre Pedro J, Dawson Samantha J
Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, 2136 West Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada.
Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
Int J Clin Health Psychol. 2024 Jul-Sep;24(3):100479. doi: 10.1016/j.ijchp.2024.100479. Epub 2024 Jun 29.
Psychological difficulties, including depression, anxiety, and somatization, are among the most important predictors for women's sexual function (i.e., arousal, desire, lubrication, pain, and satisfaction) and sexual distress. These associations have largely been studied at the construct level, with little research examining which specific symptoms might be most important for maintaining links between psychological difficulties and domains of sexual function. The present research sought to establish and characterize networks of women's psychological symptoms, sexual function, and sexual distress, and identify potential bridge symptoms that connect them.
In a cross-sectional study, 725 women reported on their sexual function, sexual distress, and depressive, anxiety, and somatization symptoms. A series of network analyses was used to identify central symptoms and connections between psychological symptoms, sexual function domains, and sexual distress.
Across the modeled networks, sexual distress and pain during sex were consistent bridges between other sexual function domains and psychological symptoms.
Overall, our models revealed sexual distress as an important potential mediator between sexual function problems and psychological symptoms that might contribute to the development and maintenance of comorbid sexual function and psychological problems.
心理困扰，包括抑郁、焦虑和躯体化症状，是女性性功能（即性唤起、性欲、润滑、疼痛和满意度）及性困扰的最重要预测因素之一。这些关联大多在构念层面进行研究，很少有研究探讨哪些特定症状可能对维持心理困扰与性功能领域之间的联系最为重要。本研究旨在建立并描述女性心理症状、性功能和性困扰的网络，并识别连接它们的潜在桥梁症状。
在一项横断面研究中，725名女性报告了她们的性功能、性困扰以及抑郁、焦虑和躯体化症状。一系列网络分析用于识别心理症状、性功能领域和性困扰之间的核心症状及联系。
在构建的网络中，性困扰和性交疼痛是其他性功能领域与心理症状之间一致的桥梁。
总体而言，我们的模型显示性困扰是性功能问题与心理症状之间重要的潜在中介因素，可能导致性功能和心理问题共病的发生和维持。
