Validation of the French sexual mindfulness measure and its links with psychosexual well-being

Abstract

Limited instruments are available to assess sexual mindfulness (i.e., state of mindfulness during sexual interactions) and understand its links with psychosexual well-being. The aim of this study was to examine the reliability and validity of a French version of the Sexual Mindfulness Measure (SMM) (Leavitt et al., 2019) and its relation to psychosexual outcomes (e.g., body image, sexual communication). A confirmatory factor analysis was conducted with a community sample of 541 adults (M age= 36.82, SD = 11.78). The factorial structure of the original English version of the SMM was replicated, and satisfactory internal consistency was found, suggesting that the French SMM can be considered a valid measure to capture sexual mindfulness in research and clinical settings. Results showed significant linear regressions with expected psychosexual outcomes, which suggests that increased sexual mindfulness could improve psychosexual well-being.

Lay summary: This study presents the validation of a questionnaire measuring sexual mindfulness - the level of awareness and nonjudgment during sexual interactions. Findings support the validity of the questionnaire to measure sexual mindfulness in clinical and research settings; it also suggests that sexual mindfulness may predict sexual higher self-esteem and body image, and lower anxiety towards sexual communication.

Keywords:

• Sexual mindfulness
• measure
• French version
• validation
• psychosexual well-being

Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank the research participants who took part in the current study.

Disclosure statement

No conflict of interest has been declared by the authors.

Ethical approval

All procedures involving human participants performed in this study were approved by the Institutional Ethics Review Board of Université du Québec à Montréal (certificate number: 4025_e_2020).

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by the Faculty of Social Sciences of the Université du Québec à Montréal granted to David Lafortune and by a scholarship from the Fonds de Recherche du Québec – Société et Culture (#2021-B2Z-290624) awarded to Éliane Dussault.

Notes on contributors

Éliane Dussault

Éliane Dussault is a doctoral candidate in sexology at the Université du Québec à Montréal. Her research focuses on mindfulness, sexuality and relationality in survivors of childhood interpersonal trauma.

David Lafortune

David Lafortune is a professor at the department of Sexology at the Université du Québec à Montréal and a clinical psychologist. He is a researcher on sexual anxiety and aversion, as well as virtual reality in sex therapy.

Cloé Canivet

Cloé Canivet is a doctoral candidate in sexology at the Université du Québec à Montréal. As part of her doctoral thesis, she studies sexual fantasies in survivors of childhood sexual abuse.

Marie-Aude Boislard

Marie-Aude Boislard is a full professor at the department of Sexology at the Université du Québec à Montréal. Her research focuses on asynchronous sexual trajectories and sexorelational distress.

Chelom E. Leavitt

Chelom Leavitt is a professor at Brigham Young University. She researches sexual mindfulness and sexual functioning.

Natacha Godbout

Natacha Godbout is a professor at the department of Sexology at the Université du Québec à Montréal and a clinical psychologist. Her research focuses on adult survivors of childhood interpersonal trauma and its impacts, notably on mindfulness, relationality and sexuality.