The Mediating Role of Sexual Self-esteem in the Relationship Between Marital Quality and Psychological Adaptation to Illness in Women with Chronic Pain Illness

Chronic pain is recognized as an important public health concern that leads to significant economic and social problems. Thus, identifying variables affecting the psychological adaptation of patients with chronic pain is necessary to prepare an effective intervention and treatment program.

This study investigated the mediating role of sexual self-esteem in the relationship between marital quality and psychological adaptation to disease in women with chronic pain.

This descriptive-analytic study of correlation type was conducted on 200 women with chronic pain admitted to orthopedic centers in Ardabil City, Iran. The participants were selected using the available sampling method. The Psychological Adaptation questionnaire, the Sexual Self-Esteem scale, and the Marital Relationship Quality questionnaire were used to collect data. The standard mean, standard deviation, Pearson correlation, and multiple regressions were used for data analysis.

The findings revealed significant positive relationships between marital quality (r = 0.49) (P < 0.01) and sexual self-esteem (r = 0.60) (P < 0.01) with psychological adaptation. Moreover, significant positive relationships were found between marital quality and sexual self-esteem (r = 0.48) (P < 0.01). Sexual self-esteem also mediated the relationship between marital quality and psychological adaptation (β = 0.23) (P < 0.01).

The study revealed that sexual self-esteem served a fully mediating role between marital quality and psychological adaptation in women with chronic pain. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to pay attention to sexual self-esteem’s role in therapeutic interventions related to these women.