Massé-Pfister Maude, Rosen Natalie O, Bigras Noémie, Girouard Alice, Perrier-Léonard Delphine, Bergeron Sophie
Department of Psychology, Université de Montréal, C. P. 6128, Succursale Centre-ville, Montréal, QC H3C 3J7, Canada.
Centre de recherche interdisciplinaire sur les problèmes conjugaux et les agressions sexuelles (CRIPCAS), C. P. 6128, Succursale Centre-ville, Montréal, QC H3C 3J7, Canada.
J Sex Med. 2025 Apr 8;22(3):404-415. doi: 10.1093/jsxmed/qdaf007.
When an individual in a relationship is coping with low desire/arousal, both partners experience difficulties, including higher levels of sexual distress. Effective emotional regulation strategies, such as self-compassion, could have individual and interpersonal benefits for couples with sexual interest/arousal disorder (SIAD).
Using a dyadic design, we examined the role of self-compassion in the sexual distress of couples coping with SIAD, accounting for overall relationship satisfaction. The associations were analyzed cross-sectionally and prospectively. We also explored the moderating roles of having at least one member identify as sexually or gender diverse within the couple in the potential associations between self-compassion and sexual distress.
Individuals with SIAD and their partners (N = 263 couples) completed online measures at baseline and 6 months later.
Individuals with SIAD and their partners completed the Sexual Distress Scale-Short Form and the Couples Satisfaction Index.
Controlling for relationship satisfaction, when individuals coping with SIAD and their partners reported greater self-compassion at baseline, they also reported lower sexual distress. For partners only, greater self-compassion was associated with the person with SIAD's lower levels of sexual distress at baseline. No statistically significant prospective associations were found between levels of self-compassion and sexual distress 6 months later. Belonging to a sexually diverse couple was a significant moderator of the cross-sectional associations between partners' level of self-compassion and their own level of sexual distress at baseline, such that the link between greater self-compassion and lower sexual distress was observed only in partners belonging to a sexually diverse couple. Belonging to a gender diverse couple did not moderate any of the associations.
Findings indicate that self-compassion could be a promising tool to reduce sexual distress in couples coping with SIAD.
STRENGTHS & LIMITATIONS: Strengths of this study include the large, diverse sample of couples coping with SIAD, the use of a cross-sectional and prospective design, and the examination of the moderating role of belonging to a gender or sexually diverse couple. However, the possible lack of statistical power to measure moderation based on belonging to a gender diverse couple and the recall bias due to the use of self-report questionnaires should be considered when interpreting the results.
Greater self-compassion is associated with lower sexual distress in both partners of couples coping with SIAD. Self-compassion may be particularly beneficial for partners of individuals with SIAD belonging to a sexually diverse couple.
当处于亲密关系中的个体应对性欲/性唤起低下时，双方都会遇到困难，包括更高水平的性困扰。有效的情绪调节策略，如自我同情，可能对患有性兴趣/性唤起障碍（SIAD）的夫妻在个体层面和人际关系层面都有益处。
采用二元设计，我们研究了自我同情在应对SIAD的夫妻性困扰中的作用，并考虑了总体关系满意度。对这些关联进行了横断面分析和前瞻性分析。我们还探讨了夫妻中至少有一方认定为性取向或性别多元在自我同情与性困扰之间潜在关联中的调节作用。
患有SIAD的个体及其伴侣（N = 263对夫妻）在基线时和6个月后完成了在线测量。
控制关系满意度后，当应对SIAD的个体及其伴侣在基线时报告有更高的自我同情时，他们也报告了更低的性困扰。仅就伴侣而言，更高的自我同情与患有SIAD的人在基线时更低水平的性困扰相关。6个月后，自我同情水平与性困扰之间未发现具有统计学意义的前瞻性关联。属于性取向多元的夫妻是伴侣自我同情水平与其自身基线时性困扰水平之间横断面关联的显著调节因素，即仅在属于性取向多元夫妻的伴侣中观察到更高的自我同情与更低的性困扰之间的联系。属于性别多元的夫妻并未调节任何关联。
研究结果表明，自我同情可能是减轻应对SIAD的夫妻性困扰的一种有前景的工具。
本研究的优点包括样本量大且多样，涵盖了应对SIAD的夫妻，采用了横断面和前瞻性设计，并考察了属于性别或性取向多元夫妻的调节作用。然而，在解释结果时应考虑到可能缺乏足够的统计效力来测量基于属于性别多元夫妻的调节作用，以及由于使用自我报告问卷而产生的回忆偏差。
更高的自我同情与应对SIAD的夫妻双方更低的性困扰相关。自我同情可能对属于性取向多元夫妻的患有SIAD个体的伴侣特别有益。
