Sexual Function and Marital Intimacy in Mastectomized Women with Breast Cancer: Mediating Role of Body Image Concern

Mansoureh  Hamzehrad; Mandana  Niknam; Fatemeh  Amani Kelarijani

doi:10.18502/ssu.v32i4.15836

Mansoureh Hamzehrad Department of Counselling, Faculty of Humanities, Central Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
Mandana Niknam Department of Psychology & Educational Sciences, Faculty of Humanities, Khatam University, Tehran, Iran.
Fatemeh Amani Kelarijani Department of Psychology & Educational Sciences, Faculty of Humanities, Khatam University, Tehran, Iran.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/ssu.v32i4.15836

Abstract

Introduction: Mastectomy surgical method greatly affects the long-term quality of life of women with breast cancer. Mastectomy can play an important role in sexual desire and marital intimacy. The purpose of this study was to investigate the mediating role of body image concern in the relationship between sexual function and marital intimacy in women with mastectomy breast cancer.

Methods: The research method was a descriptive correlation type. The population included all the patients with mastectomy breast cancer whose list was available in 2022 in hospitals and charity centers related to cancer in Tehran. 145 women who underwent mastectomy were selected by available sampling method. Research tools included Thompson and Walker's marital intimacy questionnaires, Rosen et al.'s Female Sexual function Index, and Littleton's Body Image Concern Inventory (1,2,3). Relationships between variables were done with Pearson correlation test and structural equation modeling test using SPSS version 16 and Amos version 24 software.

Results: The findings showed that Body Image Concern does not play a mediating role in the relationship between sexual function and marital intimacy of mastectomized women (P<0.05). Pearson's correlation test also showed that there is a positive and significant relationship between sexual function and marital intimacy (P<0.05) and there is a significant negative relationship between Body Image Concern and marital intimacy (P<0.05) and between sexual function and Body Image Concern no significant relationship was observed (P<0.05).

Conclusion: Psychologists can use the findings of this study to teach the nature of these women's sexual problems and seek to identify factors that help better intimacy in these women's marital relationships.