Comparison of the Effectiveness of Emotion-Focused Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy on Sexual Self-Efficacy in Women with Breast Cancer

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of Psychology, UAE Branch, Islamic Azad University, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

2 Department of Psychology, Ashtian Branch, Islamic Azad University, Ashtian, Iran

3 Department of Psychology, Karaj Branch, Islamic Azad University, Karaj, Iran

Abstract

Background: Breast cancer is a disease, and the suffering women are at risk of experiencing disease-related turmoil and pressures.
 
Objective: This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of emotion-focused therapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy in sexual self-efficacy among women with breast cancer.
 
Methods: This semi-experimental study was conducted based on a pretest-posttest using follow-up and a control group. The statistical population of this study was all married women with breast cancer referred to Milad Hospital, Tehran, Iran, in 2020. In total, 45 patients who met the criteria for entering the study were selected as the final sample size using the non-random and available sampling method and were placed in two experimental groups and one control group (15 cases per group). At this stage, all three groups responded to the sexual self-efficacy questionnaire as a pretest, and the two experimental groups received cognitive-behavioral and emotion-focused therapy. On the other hand, the control group was requested to wait. After completing the course, all three groups responded to the questionnaire listed as a posttest. After four months, the follow-up test was administered again. The obtained data were analyzed in SPSS software (version 22) through covariance analysis test and paired comparison of measurement stages.
 
Results: The results showed that both emotion-focused therapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy were effective in sexual self-efficacy (P<0.001); however, there was no difference between the two treatments in terms of sexual self-efficacy. 
 
Conclusion: The results of this study showed the effect of emotion-focused approach therapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy as supportive methods in increasing sexual self-efficacy in women with breast cancer.

Keywords


Open Access Policy: This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. To view a copy of this licence, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

1. Griffiths S, Murray SB, Mitchison D, Castle D, Mond JM. Relative strength of the associations of body fat, muscularity, height, and penis size dissatisfaction with psychological quality of life impairment among sexual minority men. Psychology of Men & Masculinities. 2019;20(1):55. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2018-02336-001
https://doi.org/10.1037/men0000149
 
2. Van den Brink F, Vollmann M, Smeets MA, Hessen DJ, Woertman L. Relationships between body image, sexual satisfaction, and relationship quality in romantic couples. Journal of Family Psychology. 2018;32(4):466. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29517245/
https://doi.org/10.1037/fam0000407
PMid:29517245
 
3. Bonfils KA, Firmin RL, Salyers MP, Wright ER. Sexuality and intimacy among people living with serious mental illnesses: Factors contributing to sexual activity. Psychiatric rehabilitation journal. 2015;38(3):249. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25664756/
https://doi.org/10.1037/prj0000117
PMid:25664756 PMCid:PMC4530100
 
4. Smith DM, Wang SB, Carter ML, Fox KR, Hooley JM. Longitudinal predictors of self-injurious thoughts and behaviors in sexual and gender minority adolescents. Journal of Abnormal Psychology. 2020;129(1):114. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31657599/
https://doi.org/10.1037/abn0000483
PMid:31657599
 
5. Wadsworth LP, Hayes-Skelton SA. Differences among lesbian, gay, bisexual, and heterosexual individuals and those who reported an other identity on an open-ended response on levels of social anxiety. Psychology of sexual orientation and gender diversity. 2015;2(2):181. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26881266/
https://doi.org/10.1037/sgd0000092
PMid:26881266 PMCid:PMC4752184
 
6. Manganiello A, Hoga LA, Reberte LM, Miranda CM, Rocha CA. Sexuality and quality of life of breast cancer patients post mastectomy. European Journal of Oncology Nursing. 2011;15(2):167-72. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20864400/
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejon.2010.07.008
PMid:20864400
 
7. Vaziri S, Lotfi Kashani F. Study of factor structure, reliability and validity of the sexual self efficacy questionnaire. Thoughts and Behavior in Clinical Psychology. 2013;8(29):47-56.
 
8. Alimohammadi L, Zarei F, Mirghafourvand M. The effect of counseling based on Bandura's self-efficacy theory on sexual self-efficacy and quality of sexual life. Women & health. 2020;60(4):473-86.
https://doi.org/10.1080/03630242.2019.1662871
PMid:31506029
 
9. Bond JC, Morrison DM, Hawes SE. Sexual self-efficacy and entitlement to pleasure: The association of the female sexual subjectivity inventory with sexual risk taking and experience of orgasm. Archives of sexual behavior. 2020;49(3):1029-38.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-019-01563-3
PMid:31897825
 
10. Johnson S, Zuccarini D. Integrating sex and attachment in emotionally focused couple therapy. Journal of marital and family Therapy. 2010;36(4):431-45. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21039657/
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1752-0606.2009.00155.x
PMid:21039657
 
11. Joulazadeh Esmaeili AA, Karimi J, Goodarzi K, Asgari M. Comparison of the effectiveness of acceptance and commitment-based Couple Therapy and emotionally focused couple therapy on unadjusted couples' attachment styles. Family Counseling and Psychotherapy. 2020;9(2):1-30.
 
12. Ali Akbari Dehkordi F. The relationship between women's sexual function and marital adjustment. Behavioral Sciences. 2012;4(3):199. (Persian) http://www.behavsci.ir/article_67690.html
 
13. Timulak L, Keogh D, Chigwedere C, Wilson C, Ward F, Hevey D, Griffin P, Jacobs L, Irwin B. A comparison of emotion-focused therapy and cognitive-behavioural therapy in the treatment of generalised anxiety disorder: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial. Trials. 2018;19(1):1-1. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30231910/
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-018-2892-0
PMid:30231910 PMCid:PMC6146598
 
14. Kane L, Dawson SJ, Shaughnessy K, Reissing ED, Ouimet AJ, Ashbaugh AR. A review of experimental research on anxiety and sexual arousal: Implications for the treatment of sexual dysfunction using cognitive behavioral therapy. Journal of Experimental Psychopathology. 2019 May 3;10(2).
https://doi.org/10.1177/2043808719847371
 
15. Fenlon D, Nuttall J, May C, Raftery J, Fields J, Kirkpatrick E, Abab J, Ellis M, Rose T, Khambhaita P, Galanopoulou A. MENOS4 trial: a multicentre randomised controlled trial (RCT) of a breast care nurse delivered cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) intervention to reduce the impact of hot flushes in women with breast cancer: study protocol. BMC women's health. 2018;18(1):1-0. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29739384/
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-018-0550-z
PMid:29739384 PMCid:PMC5941327
 
16. Ahmadnia E, Haseli A, Karamat A. Therapeutic interventions conducted on improving women's sexual satisfaction and function during reproductive ages in Iran: a systematic review. Journal of Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences. 2017 Oct 10;27(153):146-62. http://jmums.mazums.ac.ir/browse.php?a_id=9686&sid=1&slc_lang=en
 
17. Ter Kuile MM, Both S, van Lankveld JJ. Cognitive behavioral therapy for sexual dysfunctions in women. Psychiatric Clinics. 2010 Sep 1;33(3):595-610. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20599135/
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psc.2010.04.010
PMid:20599135
 
18. Hissa J, Connolly A, Timulak L, Hession N. Emotion-focused perspective on breast cancer patients' experiences of comorbid anxiety and depression: a qualitative case analysis of three clients' in-session presentations. Person-Centered & Experiential Psychotherapies. 2020 Apr 2;19(2):134-53.
https://doi.org/10.1080/14779757.2020.1717988
 
19. Alvandi Jam, Ali, Afshari, Ali, Talebi, Abbasi. The effect of sexual rehabilitation on quality of life (sex) of patients undergoing hemodialysis referred to the dialysis center of Labbafinejad Hospital. Journal of Ibn Sina Nursing and Midwifery Care. 2014 Dec 10; 22 (4): 45-52. https://www.sid.ir/en/journal/ViewPaper.aspx?id=436774
 
20. McKinnon JM, Greenberg LS. Revealing underlying vulnerable emotion in couple therapy: Impact on session and final outcome. Journal of Family Therapy. 2013 Aug;35(3):303-19. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/1467-6427.12015
https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-6427.12015
 
21. Symonds T, Boolell, M, Quirk, F. Development of a questionnaire on sexual quality of life in women. Journal of sex & marital therapy.2005Aug 31(5), 385-397. Development of a questionnaire on sexual quality of life in women. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16169822/
https://doi.org/10.1080/00926230591006502
PMid:16169822