EFFECTIVENESS OF COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY ON SEXUAL SELF-EFFICACY IN REPRODUCTIVE-AGED WOMEN WITH CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE

Sexual self-efficacy is the belief individuals hold about their capability to engage effectively in sexual activities and be desirable to their partners. Cardiovascular diseases may cause significant physical and psychological impairments in affected individuals, often leading to sexual dysfunction..This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy on sexual self-efficacy in reproductive-aged women with cardiovascular disease.
Material and methods.This randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted on 60 women with cardiovascular diseases referred to health centers affiliated with Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences. Participants were randomly assigned into intervention (n=30) and control (n=30) groups using permuted block randomization. All participants completed a demographic questionnaire and the Sexual Self-Efficacy Questionnaire before the intervention. The intervention group received eight 1-hour virtual cognitive behavioral therapy sessions twice a week, while the control group received standard care. The Sexual Self-Efficacy Questionnaire was completed again immediately and one month after the intervention. Data were analyzed using
SPSS v25 with descriptive and inferential statistics (p≤0.05).
Results and discussion. Result of the current study showed that there is no significant difference in Sexual Self-Efficacy Questionnaire scores between the groups before the intervention (p=0.58). However, the mean Sexual Self-Efficacy Questionnaire score significantly improved in the intervention group both immediately and one month after the intervention compared to the control group (p≤0.001).
Conclusion.We may suggest that cognitive behavioral therapy can be effective in enhancing sexual self-efficacy among women with cardiovascular disease and may be recommended alongside other treatments to improve quality of life.