The effects of motivational interviewing on sexual quality of life and sexual self-efficacy in postmenopausal women with sexual dysfunction

Objective: This study was conducted to determine the effects of motivational interviewing on sexual quality of life and sexual self-efficacy in postmenopausal women with sexual dysfunction. Methods: This randomized controlled study was conducted with 164 postmenopausal women with sexual dysfunction who presented to the gynecology outpatient clinic of a university hospital in Kahramanmaras, Turkiye (82 experimental, 82 control). The data were collected using a personal information form, the Arizona Sexual Experiences Scale-Female Version Questionnaire, the Sexual Quality of Life-Female Questionnaire, and the Sexual Self-Efficacy Scale. Four motivational interview sessions were conducted with the postmenopausal women in the experimental group at 1-week intervals, and those in the control group did not receive any intervention. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson's chi-squared test, and independent samples and paired samples t tests. Results: Both the sexual quality of life and sexual self-efficacy levels of the participants in the experimental and control groups were similar in the pretest stage (P > 0.05). After the motivational interviews with those in the experimental group, the rate of sexual dysfunction was determined as 82.9% in the experimental group and 98.8% in the control group. Additionally, after the motivational interviews, the sexual dysfunction scores of the participants in the experimental group decreased significantly, and their sexual quality of life and sexual self-efficacy levels increased significantly compared to those in the control group (P < 0.001). Conclusions: The results of this study revealed that motivational interviewing decreased sexual dysfunction and increased sexual quality of life and sexual self-efficacy in postmenopausal women with sexual dysfunction.