Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1 Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, Behavioural Sciences Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
2 Reproductive Sciences and Sexual Health Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
Abstract
BACKGROUND: One of the most important goals of sexual intercourse is to arouse the psychological
effects of intercourse and to increase sexual self‑concept, which changes following sexual behaviors
such as the use of contraception methods. This study was performed to investigate the relationship
between sexual self‑concept and contraception sexual behavior in 15–49‑year‑old women covered
by community health centers.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: The present descriptive correlational study was performed on 297
married women referring to Isfahan community health centers in 2020 who were selected as cluster
that randomly classified. The tools included demographic information and the Snell’s Multidimensional
Sexual Self‑Concept Questionnaire, the data of which were analyzed via SPSS version 22 software
by Mann–Whitney U test and Pearson correlation.
RESULTS: Among a total of 297 women, 5.4% of the samples used hormonal methods and 94.6%
used non‑hormonal methods, which was the most common intermittent method. The results also
showed that the mean score of negative sexual self‑concept in women using the hormonal level
method was significantly higher (P = 0.012). Positive and positive sexual self‑concept score was
significantly higher in women using non‑hormonal methods (P = 0.048 and P = 0.002). Therefore,
there was a significant relationship between sexual self‑concept and contraception method.
CONCLUSION: Due to the relationship between contraception and sexual self‑concept, it is
recommended to pay attention to the aspects of sexual self‑concept and contraception during
reproductive health counselling sessions so that if there is a disorder, useful advice can be provided
or referred, if necessary.
Keywords
2. Khosheh G, Mehri, Abrahim G, Taheri, Hatami Z, Saffari M.
Prevalence of unwanted pregnancy and its related factors in
women referring to health centers in south of Tehran. Adv Nurs
Midwifery 2008;17:26.
3. Singh R, Frost J, Jordan B, Wells E. Beyond a prescription:
Strategies for improving contraceptive care. Contraception
2009;79:1-4.
4. Bois K, Bergeron S, Rosen NO, McDuff P, Grégoire C. Sexual
and relationship intimacy among women with provoked
vestibulodynia and their partners: Associations with sexual
satisfaction, sexual function, and pain self-efficacy. J Sex Med
2013;10:2024-35.
5. Hensel DJ, Fortenberry JD, O’Sullivan LF, Orr DP. The
developmental association of sexual self-concept with sexual
behavior among adolescent women. J Adolesc 2011;34:675-84.
6. Yousefzadeh S NF, Golmakani N, Najaf Najafi M, Ebrahimi M,
Modarres Gharavi M. Investigating the effects of sex education
based on religious education on marital adjustment in married
women. IJOGI 2014;16:10-9.
7. Tehrani FR, Farahmand M, Simbar M, Afzali HM. Factors
associated with sexual dysfunction; A population-based study in
Iranian reproductive age women. Arch Iran Med 2014;17:679-84.
8. Anderson RM. Positive sexuality and its impact on overall
well-being. Bundesgesundheitsblatt-GesundheitsforschungGesundheitsschutz 2013;56:208-14.
9. Ziaei T, Farahmand Rad H, Rezaei Aval M, Roshandel G. The
relationship between sexual self-concept and sexual function in
women of reproductive age referred to health centers in Gorgan,
north east of Iran. JMRH 2017;5:969-77.
10. Oliveira C, Nobre PJ. Cognitive structures in women with sexual
dysfunction: The role of early maladaptive schemas. J Sex Med
2013;10:1755-63.
11. Brassard A, Dupuy E, Bergeron S, Shaver PR. Attachment
insecurities and women’s sexual function and satisfaction: The
mediating roles of sexual self-esteem, sexual anxiety, and sexual
assertiveness. J Sex Res 2015;52:110-9.
12. Ramezani Tehrani F, Farahmand M, Simbar M, Malek Afzali H.
Factors associated with sexual dysfunction; a population-based
study in Iranian reproductive age women. Arch Iran Med
2014;17:679-84.
13. Hamidi F, Hamzehgardeshi Z, Shahhosseini Z. Bio-psycho-social
factors related to female sexual self-concept: A scoping review.
Clin Exc 2020;9:23-34.
14. Panahi R, Kheiri M, Abolhasani Daronkolae M, Arjeini Z,
Taherpour M, Dehghankar L, Valinezhad S. The effect of sexual
health literacy on the sexual life quality of women referring
to healthcare centers in Qazvin, Iran. J Educ Health Promot
2021;10:391.
15. Dehghankar L, PanahiR, Khatooni M, Fallah S, Moafi F, Anbari M,
et al. The association between sexual health literacy and sexual
function of women in Iran. J Educ Health Promot 2021;11:11.
16. Sigre-Leirós V, Carvalho J, Nobre P. Preliminary findings on men’s
sexual self-schema and sexual offending: Differences between
subtypes of offenders. J Sex Res 2016;53:204-13.
17. United Nations. Department of Economic and Social Affairs,
population division. Model-based estimates and projections of
family planning indicators. 2015.
18. Frost JJ, Frohwirth LF and Zolna MR. Contraceptive Needs and
Services, 2014 Update. New York: Guttmacher Institute; 2016.
19. Mohamed A, Cleland J, Shah IH. Causes and Consequences of
Contraceptive Discontinuation: Evidence from 60 Demographic
and Health Surveys. Egypt: World Health Organization; 2012.
20. Htay M, Latt S, Adinegara Lutfi A, Chuni N, Kyaw Soe H, Moe S.
Medical students’ knowledge and perception toward family
planning services: A preliminary intervention study. J Educ
Health Promot 2018;7:137.
21. Pai HC, Lee S, Yen WJ. The effect of sexual self-concept on sexual
health behavioural intentions: A test of moderating mechanisms
in early adolescent girls. J Adv Nurs 2012;68:47-55.
22. Deutsch A, Hoffman L, Wilcox BL. Sexual self-concept: Testing a
hypothetical model for men and women. J Sex Res 2014;51:932-45.
23. Jaafarpour M, Maroufi M, Molaeinezhad M. Relationship between
sexual self-concept and sexual performance in married women
referring to Mobarakeh health centers, Iran. J Res Dev Nurs
Midwifery 2016;12:40-7.
24. Winter L. The role of sexual self-concept in the Use of
contraceptives. Fam Plann Perspect 1988;20:123-7.
25. Maas MK, Lefkowitz ES. Sexual esteem in emerging adulthood:
Associations with sexual behavior, contraception use, and
romantic relationships. J Sex Res 2015;52:795-806.
26. Ramezani A, Ghaemmaghami A, Talakar M, Saadat SH,
Zamani E, Shams J, et al. Validity and reliability assessment of
multi-dimensional sexual self-concept questionnaire for Iranian population. J Mil Med 2013;14.
27. Bavi A, Aman Elahi A, Atari YA. Efficacy of premarital sexual
training on self-concept among women in marriage age in Ahvaz.
J Med Edu 2014;13:485-93.
28. Shahvary Z, Gholizade L, Hoseiny SM. Determination of some
related factors on women sexual satisfaction Gachsaran (SouthWest of Iran). J Gorgan Uni Med Sci 2010;11:51-6, 109.
29. Rahmani A SN, Allahgholi L, Merghati-Khoei EA. The relation of
sexual satisfaction and demographic factors. IJN 2010;23:14-22.
30. Mardani Hamuleh M, Ebrahimi E, Heydari H. Sexual function
of women in using of different contraceptive methods. Payesh
2012;11:371-6.
31. Khadivzadeh T, Rahmati R, Esmaily H. Effect of education on
knowledge of reproductive counseling and attitudes toward
reproductive control. J Educ Health Promot 2021;10:319.
32. Mohammadi Nik M, Modaresi M, Ziaei T, Shabani F.
Investigating the relationship between sexual self-concept and
contraception. Reproductive Health and Infertility Research
Center. 9th Congress of Reproductive and Infertility Health
Center; 1395; Tehran.
33. Snell JR, William E. Measuring multiple aspects of the sexual
self-concept: The Multidimensional Sexual Self-Concept
Questionnaire. New directions in the psychology of human
sexuality: Research and theory, 2001, ch 17.
)