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Relationship between personality traits and sexual function in symptomatic postmenopausal women
Federica Barbagallo1, Laura Cucinella2, Lara Tiranini2
1Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
Personality traits, particularly harm avoidance, significantly impact sexual function in postmenopausal women. Harm avoidance mediates the effects of anxiety and depression on female sexual dysfunction (FSD), highlighting the need for tailored treatments.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive Medicine
- Psychology
- Women's Health
Background:
- Female sexual function is influenced by physical, psychosocial, and neurobiological factors.
- Personality traits increasingly recognized for their impact on quality of life, including sexuality.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between personality dimensions and sexual function domains in symptomatic postmenopausal women.
- To explore the association between mood and female sexual dysfunction (FSD).
Main Methods:
- 130 early postmenopausal women with frequent hot flushes completed validated questionnaires.
- Assessed sexual function (FSFI), mood (STAI, SDS), and personality traits (TPQ).
Main Results:
- 61.5% of women exhibited FSD based on FSFI scores.
- Higher anxiety, depression, and harm avoidance (HA) were linked to sexual disorders.
- HA mediated the relationship between anxiety/depression and overall sexual function.
Conclusions:
- The personality trait harm avoidance is crucial for sexual function in menopausal women.
- Mood screening and personality assessment can guide tailored, multidimensional FSD treatment.
- Psychometric tools aid in diagnosing and treating sexual disorders in this population.
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