The Predictive Role of Spousal Support on Menopausal Symptoms, Sexual Distress, and Mental Well-Being in Postmenopausal Women

This mixed-methods study examined the associations between spousal support and menopausal symptoms, sexual distress, and mental well-being among postmenopausal women. The study included 441 postmenopausal women. Data were collected using the Personal Information Form, Menopausal Spousal Support Questionnaire (MSSQ), Menopause Symptom Assessment Scale (MSAS), Female Sexual Distress Scale-Revised (FSDS-R), Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale (WEMWBS), and a semistructured interview form. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and hierarchical multiple regression, and qualitative data were analyzed using thematic analysis. The mean age of participants was 55.49 ± 6.34 years, and the mean menopause age was 48.12 ± 3.78 years. The mean MSSQ score was 68.82 ± 30.28, the MSAS score was 26.42 ± 5.64, the FSDS-R score was 28.98 ± 9.65, and the WEMWBS score was 37.46 ± 7.17. Spousal support was negatively associated with menopausal symptoms and sexual distress and positively associated with mental well-being. Qualitative findings showed that many women perceived inadequate support from their husbands and relied on personal coping strategies to manage symptoms. These findings highlight the importance of developing couple-based educational and counseling interventions to strengthen spousal support during postmenopause.