The effect of counseling based on cognitive-behavioral therapy and education based on sexual health Selfcare needs on sexual assertiveness and satisfaction in recently married women

Abstract

Abstract Background: Sexual assertiveness can be challenging for newly married women. At the beginning of a new common life, women tend to keep their husbands satisfied. Therefore, they prioritize their husbands’ sexual needs and refrain from expressing their sexual needs and desires, which consequently results in women’s sexual dissatisfaction. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and education based on sexual health Selfcare needs on sexual assertiveness and satisfaction of newly married women. Methods: This RCT was conducted on 66 newly married women with cases in marriage counseling centers in Tabriz, Iran. Participants were assigned into three groups using block randomization. Eight group sessions of CBT were held for one of the intervention groups (n=22) and 5-8 sessions of education based on sexual health selfcare needs for other intervention group (n=22). The control group (n=22) received neither education nor counseling during the research. The data were collected using, Hulbert sexual assertiveness index, and Larson sexual satisfaction questionnaires twice, before and 4 weeks after intervention, and analyzed using ANOVA and ANCOVA tests. Results: The mean (standard deviation: SD) score of the sexual assertiveness and sexual satisfaction in the CBT group enhanced from 48.77 (13.94) and 73.13 (13.53) before the intervention to 69.37 (7.28) and 86.57 (7.5) after the intervention, respectively. The mean (SD) score of the sexual assertiveness and sexual satisfaction in the sexual health education group increased from 48.9(11.39) and 74.95 (8.30) before the intervention to 66. 94 (7.42) and 84.93 (6.34) after the intervention, respectively. The mean (SD) score of the sexual assertiveness and sexual satisfaction in the control group changed from 45.04 (15.87) and 69.04 (10.75) before the intervention to 42.74 (14.11) and 66.44 (10.11) after the intervention, respectively. Four weeks after the intervention, the mean scores of sexual assertiveness and sexual satisfaction in two intervention groups were more than that in the control group (P<0.001), However, there was no significant difference between the two intervention groups (P>0.05). Conclusion: The results of this research indicated that CBT and sexual health education are effective in improving women’s sexual assertiveness and sexual satisfaction.