Repetitive Negative Thinking and Sexual Functioning in Portuguese Men and Women: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Objective: Repetitive negative thinking (RNT) is a transdiagnostic process involved in the development and maintenance of emotional disorders that negatively affect sexual functioning. However, empirical evidence for the role of RNT on sexual functioning is still lacking. The current study aimed to investigate the role of RNT on sexual functioning in men and women by examining differences in RNT between men and women and between individuals with and without subclinical sexual difficulties. It also aimed to investigate the predictive role of RNT on sexual function indices in men and women. Methods: A total of 424 participants (270 women) completed online a sociodemographic questionnaire and Portuguese versions of the Persistent and Intrusive Negative Thoughts Scale, the Female Sexual Functioning Index, and the International Index of Erectile Function. Results: The main findings showed that women scored significantly higher than men on the RNT. Similarly, individuals with subclinical sexual difficulties scored significantly higher on the RNT compared with individuals without sexual difficulties. RNT was a statistically significant and negative predictor of sexual functioning in women and men. The role of RNT on sexual functioning in women and men was found, with men and women with subclinical sexual difficulties more likely to express persistent and intrusive negative thoughts compared with men and women without sexual difficulties. Conclusions: In summary, RNT appears to be a negative predictor of sexual functioning in both women and men, suggesting that individuals with more intrusive and negative persistent thoughts also have more difficulty in their sexual response.

Keywords:

• Men
• repetitive negative thinking
• sexual difficulties
• sexual functioning
• women

Ethical statement

All procedures performed were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional ethics committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments. The current study is part of a research project approved by University Ethics Committee.

Informed consent

Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.

Data availability statement

The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are not publicly available due to further data analysis in the scope of the ongoing project. Datasets may be made available in the future from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

Additional information

Funding

This work was financially supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science (FCT) and Technology and the Portuguese Ministry of Science, Technology, and Higher Education through national funds within the framework of the Psychology for Positive Development Research Center–CIPD [grant number UIDB/04375/2020] and the Psychology Research Centre [UIDB/PSI/01662/2020].