Premium
Do psychosocial variables mediate the relationship between menopause symptoms and sexual function in middle‐aged perimenopausal women?
Author(s) -
Hong Ji H.,
Kim Hye Y.,
Kim Ji Y.,
Kim Hyun K.
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
journal of obstetrics and gynaecology research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.597
H-Index - 50
eISSN - 1447-0756
pISSN - 1341-8076
DOI - 10.1111/jog.13927
Subject(s) - menopause , medicine , sexual function , psychosocial , depression (economics) , clinical psychology , psychiatry , economics , macroeconomics
Aim To test a hypothetical path model evaluating the influence of menopause symptoms on sexual function among middle‐aged perimenopausal women, as well as identify the mediating roles of body image, depression and sexual communication in this relationship. Methods We used a cross‐sectional, correlational design. We included one exogenous variable (menopause symptoms) and four endogenous variables (body image, depression, sexual communication and sexual function) in the proposed model. All data were collected between January 19 and March 11, 2016, and analyzed using spss statistics 25.0 and AMOS 23.0. Results Eight of the nine hypothesized paths in the model were significant. Specifically, menopause symptoms were significantly associated with sexual function via the effects of body image, depression and sexual communication. Conclusion This study may provide basic data for counseling and nursing programs to help improve sexual function in middle‐aged perimenopausal women. Particularly, these programs should focus on the indirect paths via body image, depression and sexual communication, such as by improving body image and sexual communication and reducing depression.