Comparison of the Effectiveness of Cognitive–Behavioral Therapy and Schema Therapy on Sexual Self-Awareness and Sexual Assertiveness in Women with Breast Cancer
Keywords:
Breast cancer, Cognitive–behavioral therapy, Schema therapy, Sexual self-awareness, Sexual assertivenessAbstract
Objective: This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of cognitive–behavioral therapy and schema therapy on sexual self-awareness and sexual assertiveness in women with breast cancer.
Methods and Materials: This applied, quasi-experimental study used a pretest–posttest–follow-up design with a control group. Forty-five women with breast cancer referred to Shahid Rajaei Hospital in Karaj (2021) were selected through convenience sampling and randomly assigned to CBT, schema therapy, or control groups. Interventions were delivered individually in weekly 45-minute sessions. Data were collected using the Sexual Self-Awareness Questionnaire and the Sexual Assertiveness Questionnaire and analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA and multivariate ANCOVA.
Findings: Significant main effects of time and time×group interaction were observed for sexual self-awareness and sexual assertiveness (p<0.001). Both treatments produced significant improvements compared with the control group. CBT demonstrated significantly greater effectiveness than schema therapy, with larger mean change scores in both dependent variables (p<0.01).
Conclusion: Although both therapeutic approaches significantly enhanced sexual self-awareness and sexual assertiveness among women with breast cancer, cognitive–behavioral therapy showed superior effectiveness, supporting its prioritization as a primary psychological intervention for this population.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Samira Khodayi Anzab, Ali Jahangiri, Abulqasem Shakiba (Author)
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