The Effect of Counseling Based on Sexual Self-Concept via Social Networks on Smartphone in Infertile Women: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract

Background: Infertility can affect the physical, mental and emotional aspects of a person’s life. Thisstudy aimed to investigate the effect of sexual counseling via social networks on Smartphone in sexualself-concept of infertile women.Methods: In a randomized controlled trial, 80 eligible infertile women referred to the fertility centersof Alborz University of Medical Sciences from April to July 2018. They were randomly assignedinto intervention) sexual counseling with routine infertility counseling) and control groups )routineinfertility counseling). Eight counseling sessions via social networks were held for both groups.The Snell’s sexual self-concept questionnaire was completed by participants before and after theintervention. The data were analyzed using SPSS 19 with a significance level of PResults: The mean age of women was 30.76±0.72 years and the most infertility duration was morethan 36 months. The results of a repeated measure showed that there were significant differencesin positive self-concept domain between the two groups during the time by comparing the means(120.4±17.9 versus 105.1±16.8). We also found an increasing trend of the scores in positive sexual selfconcept domain (110.6±18.42, 120.1±18.7, 120.4±17.9) (Pself-concept, there were no difference between the two groups during the time )P=0.06)Conclusion: The results obtained in the present study showed that counseling through social networkswas effective in improving the sexual self-concept in infertile women, thus ameliorating the couples’sexual relations.Trial Registration Number: IRCT20160503027728N9

Keywords

• infertility
• Sex counseling
• Sexual self-concept
• Smart phones
• Social Networks