The Role of Trait-Affect, Depression, and Anxiety in Women With Sexual Dysfunction: A Pilot Study

Abstract

Despite the increasing number of studies, it is not yet clear how emotions affect sexual response in women with and without sexual problems. The aim of this study was to explore the relation among trait-affect, depression, anxiety, and sexual functioning. Participants were 237 women: 167 without sexual problems, 37 with low levels of sexual functioning, and 17 with sexual dysfunction. Participants completed the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, the Brief Symptom Inventory, the Beck Depression Inventory, and the Female Sexual Function Index. Results showed that women with sexual problems presented lower levels of positive trait-affect in comparison with women without sexual problems. Mediation analysis indicated that depression mediated 44% of the total effect of positive trait-affect and 83% of the total effect of negative trait-affect on sexual functioning. Moreover, anxiety (Brief Symptom Inventory subscale) mediated 18% of the total effect of positive trait-affect on sexual functioning and 61% of the total effect of negative trait-affect on sexual functioning. These results may help explain the high comorbidity among sexual dysfunction, depression, and anxiety, and raise the hypothesis that trait-affect may act as a common vulnerability factor for these clinical conditions.

Acknowledgments

The authors thank G. Santos, Hospitais da Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal, for making possible the collection of the clinical sample. They also thank A. Gomes, J. Almeida, P. Costa, S. Vilarinho, L. Fonseca, J. Teixeira, P. Abrantes, for the suggestions and help in sample collection. Last, they thank participants who volunteered to participate in the study.

Notes

The term trait-affect is used to differentiate it from state-affect.