Effectiveness of a Mindfulness-Based Group Intervention on Shame, Sexual Anxiety, and Self-Confidence in Individuals with Sexual Dysfunction

Zeynab  Hajavi; Pooria  Madadi Cholche; Mona  Soleiman Heshmat; Atefeh  Shojaei; Arsalan Barekat

Authors

Zeynab Hajavi MA, Department of General Psychology, Sav.C., Islamic Azad University, Saveh, Iran Author https://orcid.org/0009-0002-1560-4678
Pooria Madadi Cholche MA, Department of Family Therapy Psychology, Kho.C., Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran Author https://orcid.org/0009-0005-0088-2810
Mona Soleiman Heshmat MA, Department of School Counseling, Ka.C., Islamic Azad University, Alborz, Iran Author https://orcid.org/0009-0002-1657-6138
Atefeh Shojaei MA, Department of General Psychology, Bo.C., Islamic Azad University, Lorestan, Iran Author https://orcid.org/0009-0008-5520-7507
Arsalan Barekat PhD student, Department of Health Psychology, To.C., Islamic Azad University, Mazandaran, Iran Corresponding Author https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6070-3934

Keywords:

Mindfulness, Sexual Dysfunction, Sexual Anxiety, Shame, Self-Confidence, Group Intervention

Abstract

The present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of a mindfulness-based group intervention in reducing shame and sexual anxiety and increasing self-confidence among individuals with sexual dysfunction. This quasi-experimental study employed a pretest-posttest-follow-up design with a control group. The statistical population consisted of individuals with sexual dysfunction who attended specialized sexual health clinics in Tehran, Iran, between September and December 2025. Thirty eligible participants were selected through convenience sampling and randomly assigned to an experimental group (n = 15) and a control group (n = 15). The experimental group received an eight-session mindfulness-based group intervention, whereas the control group received no corresponding intervention during the study period. Data were collected using the Internalized Shame Scale, the Sexual Anxiety Subscale of the Multidimensional Sexuality Questionnaire, and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. Data were analyzed using repeated-measures analysis of variance and Bonferroni-adjusted pairwise comparisons in SPSS version 26 at a significance level of .05. Repeated-measures analyses revealed significant between-group effects for sexual anxiety, F = 71.655, p < .001, η² = .589; shame, F = 99.362, p < .001, η² = .665; and self-confidence, F = 40.737, p < .001, η² = .449. Significant time effects were also observed for sexual anxiety, F = 177.248, p < .001, η² = .780; shame, F = 238.065, p < .001, η² = .826; and self-confidence, F = 279.796, p < .001, η² = .848. Multivariate analysis further showed a significant time × group interaction, Pillai’s Trace = .976, F = 108.043, p < .001, η² = .976. Bonferroni comparisons indicated no significant baseline differences between groups, whereas significant differences favoring the intervention group were observed at posttest and follow-up for all three outcomes (p < .001). Mindfulness-based group intervention was effective in reducing sexual anxiety and shame and improving self-confidence in individuals with sexual dysfunction, and these improvements remained significant at follow-up, suggesting that mindfulness may be a useful adjunctive psychological intervention in sexual health settings.

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