Abordagem transdiagnóstica do distress e do prazer sexuais : o papel da preocupação, ruminação e regulação emocional

Abstract

Sexual distress, and its positive counterpart, sexual pleasure, are central dimensions for understanding sexual problems and for establishing the clinical diagnosis of sexual dysfunction ([APA], 204 C.E.) and are fundamental dimensions of human sexual rights (World Association for Sexual Health, 2014). However, there are no models for understanding these dimensions or a robust body of empirical studies that support the development of interventions to improve sexual health, namely by reducing sexual distress and maximizing sexual pleasure. In this work we propose to apply the transdiagnostic approach of understanding psychopathology to the study of sexual distress due to the adequacy of the use of this model in the understanding of emotional maladjustment (Carlucci et al., 2021) and also of well-being indicators (Boettcher et al., 2019), using three widely studied transdiagnostic processes: rumination, worry and emotion regulation. The present study has a sample of 412 participants (77.9% women and 20.9% men), with a mean age of 30.59 years and a mean duration of love relationship of 6.87 years. Participants answered a questionnaire on the Qualtrics platform. Data were analyzed using IBM.SPSS v.26 software. First, Pearson's correlation analysis was performed and then two multiple hierarchical regressions were performed, controlling the effect of anxiety and depression. The results showed that the higher the levels of depression and reflection, the higher the level of sexual distress and the higher the level of depression, the lower the level of sexual pleasure. The associations attest that preservative cognitions play a role in understanding sexual distress/pleasure. There was no effect of emotion regulation, although there is the possibility of obtaining different results through a different approach to emotion regulation.

Date of Award	2022
Original language	Portuguese
Supervisor	Patrícia M. Pascoal (Supervisor)