Effect of Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy Using Social Media on Sexual Function, Sexual Distress, of Women With Diabetes: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial

Objectives This study aims to investigate the effect of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) provided on social media on sexual function, sexual distress, and mindfulness of women with diabetes. Methods This randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted from October 2022 to October 2023. Participants were 36 married women of reproductive age diagnosed with diabetes and suffering from sexual dysfunction. They were randomly allocated to intervention (n=36) and control (n=36) groups using the block randomization method. The MBCT was provided individually using social media (Ita, Rubika, WhatsApp) in eight 60-min sessions, once a week. The female sexual function index, female sexual distress scale- revised, and the mindful attention and awareness scale were completed before, immediately after, one month after, and three months after the intervention. The data was analyzed using repeated measures analyses of variance and covariance in SPSS v.24 software. The significance level was set at 0.05. Results The scores of sexual function and mindfulness were significantly higher in the intervention group than in the control group in the post-intervention phases. Sexual distress score group was significantly lower in the intervention group than in the control group in the post-intervention phases. Conclusion MBCT provided on social media can increase mindfulness and sexual function and reduce the sexual distress of women with diabetes.