Raposo Catarina F, Nobre Pedro J, Rosa Pedro J, Pascoal Patrícia M
Center for Psychology at the University of Porto, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences of the University of Porto, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal.
Lusófona University, HEI-Lab: Digital Human-Environment Interaction Labs, 1749-024, Lisboa, Portugal.
Sex Med. 2025 Aug 11;13(4):qfaf052. doi: 10.1093/sexmed/qfaf052. eCollection 2025 Aug.
Sexual distress is a critical element in diagnosing sexual dysfunction. Recent research using a cross-sectional design has supported the adequacy of a transdiagnostic approach for its understanding.
This exploratory study aimed to investigate the mediating role of repetitive negative thinking between difficulties in emotional regulation and sexual and psychological distress in a community sample.
We used a quantitative longitudinal design with measures including a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale-Short Form, the Persistent and Intrusive Negative Thoughts Scale, the Sexual Distress Scale-Revised, and the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale.
Data were collected from 64 partnered individuals (85.9% women; age: M = 31.20, SD = 6.46).
Correlational analysis across time revealed significant associations among difficulties in emotion regulation (T1 = 0.37, T2 = 0.32), repetitive negative thinking (T1 = 0.30, T2 = 0.27), psychological distress (T1 = 0.37, T2 = 0.55), and sexual distress (all at < .01). The total effect of difficulties in emotion regulation on sexual distress was found to be positive (β = 0.20, = .008) after controlling for frequency of sexual activity ( = -0.25, < .05). Longitudinal mediation analysis indicated a significant negative indirect effect from difficulties in emotion regulation on sexual distress via repetitive negative thinking (β = -0.04, 95% CI [-0.008, -0.001]), suggesting a buffering effect over time on sexual distress.
These results highlight the significance of recognizing difficulties in emotion regulation and repetitive negative thinking as coping strategies when examining sexual distress, emphasizing the need to explore the putative efficacy of therapeutic interventions focused on addressing these cognitive processes to decrease adverse sexual-related outcomes.
These findings highlight the importance of acknowledging difficulties in emotion regulation and repetitive negative thinking as coping strategies in the study of sexual distress. However, the small sample size and the predominance of women participants limit generalizability. Further research with clinical samples and more diverse populations is needed to better understand the relevance of these aspects in assessment and therapy.
The findings imply that repetitive negative thinking may have potentially adaptive effects, indicating a nuanced role in coping strategies within the context of the study.
性困扰是诊断性功能障碍的关键因素。最近采用横断面设计的研究支持了采用跨诊断方法来理解性困扰的充分性。
本探索性研究旨在调查在一个社区样本中，重复消极思维在情绪调节困难与性及心理困扰之间的中介作用。
我们采用定量纵向设计，所使用的测量工具包括一份社会人口学问卷、情绪调节困难量表简版、持续侵入性消极思维量表、性困扰量表修订版以及凯斯勒心理困扰量表。
从64名有伴侣的个体（85.9%为女性；年龄：M = 31.20，SD = 6.46）收集数据。
跨时间的相关分析显示，情绪调节困难（T1 = 0.37，T2 = 0.32）、重复消极思维（T1 = 0.30，T2 = 0.27）、心理困扰（T1 = 0.37，T2 = 0.55）和性困扰（均p <.01）之间存在显著关联。在控制了性活动频率（β = -0.25，p <.05）后，发现情绪调节困难对性困扰的总效应为正向（β = 0.20，p =.008）。纵向中介分析表明，情绪调节困难通过重复消极思维对性困扰产生显著的负向间接效应（β = -0.04，95% CI [-0.008, -0.001]），表明随着时间推移对性困扰有缓冲作用。
这些结果凸显了在检查性困扰时，将情绪调节困难和重复消极思维视为应对策略的重要性，强调需要探索专注于解决这些认知过程的治疗干预措施的假定疗效，以减少不良的性相关结果。
这些发现凸显了在性困扰研究中，将情绪调节困难和重复消极思维视为应对策略的重要性。然而，样本量小以及女性参与者占主导限制了研究结果的普遍性。需要对临床样本和更多样化人群进行进一步研究，以更好地理解这些方面在评估和治疗中的相关性。
研究结果表明，重复消极思维可能具有潜在的适应性作用，表明在该研究背景下的应对策略中具有细微差别。
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