Degree Name
MA (Master of Arts)
Program
Psychology
Date of Award
8-2025
Committee Chair or Co-Chairs
Julia Dodd
Committee Members
Diana Morelen, Stacey Williams
Abstract
Many women who experience physical health complaints also report sexual dysfunction across a variety of domains including decreased arousal, desire and satisfaction. Although there are well-established connections between disease-specific populations and sexual dysfunction, less research has focused on women who experience somatic symptoms more broadly. Similarly, mindfulness as a treatment intervention has been applied across many facets of sexual functioning, but mindfulness as a trait characteristic has been less explored in its connections with generalized somatic complaints. Further, the within-domain interactions between facets of mindfulness and domains of sexual dysfunction have not been previously explored. Using data from an online survey, the current study examined the association between these variables, and whether mindfulness moderated the association between somatic symptoms and sexual dysfunction, both overall and at domain-specific levels. The proposed moderation models were largely unsupported apart from one, in which the mindful facet of awareness significantly moderated the relationship between somatic symptoms and sexual desire. Across models, facets of mindfulness were significantly correlated with various aspects of sexual functioning. The covariates of age and trying to conceive also emerged as significant predictors related to sexual desire. This study highlights the complexity of female sexual dysfunction and potentially the utility of mindfulness practice, specifically for women who experience somatic symptom burden.
Document Type
Thesis - unrestricted
Recommended Citation
Byerley, Shana, "Mindfulness as a Protective Factor in Women’s Sexual Health" (2025). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 4575. https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/4575
Copyright
Copyright by the authors.
