Comparing the Effectiveness of Mindfulness-based Intervention and Neurofeedback on the Sexual Function of Women With Multiple Sclerosis

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Most of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) (even those with mild degrees) experience various sexual disorders, which can affect their different aspects of life. Therefore, it is important to find treatments for them. This study aims to assess the effectiveness of mindfulness-based intervention and neurofeedback on the sexual function of women with MS. Methods: This is a quasi-experimental study with a pre-test/post-test/follow-up design. The study population includes all married women with MS in Karaj, Iran in 2020, 16 of whom were selected using a purposive sampling method and were randomly divided into two experimental groups of neurofeedback (n=8) and mindfulness (n=8). To collect data, the female sexual dysfunctional inventory by Naderi et al. (2011) was used. The collected data were analyzed in SPSS software, version 26 using repeated measures analysis of variance. Results: According to the results, both mindfulness-based intervention and neurofeedback were effective in improving the sexual functions of women with MS, and there was no significant difference between the two groups (P<0.05). Conclusion: Both Mindfulness-based intervention and neurofeedback can improve the sexual functions of women with MS. They can be used as an effective complementary treatment in MS women.

Keywords

• mindfulness
• sexual function
• multiple clerosis
• neurofeedback