Body image, self-compassion, and sexual distress in individuals living with endometriosis

OBJECTIVE: Extensive psychological burden is associated with the experience of living with endometriosis, including negative changes to body image and sexual functioning. Emerging evidence suggests that potential protective factors such as body appreciation and self-compassion may help mitigate these adverse impacts of endometriosis. This study aimed to investigate the association of body image, both positive (body appreciation) and negative (body image disturbance) dimensions, with sexual distress and the potential buffering effect of self-compassion on the body image-sexual distress link.

METHODS: Data were collected via an online cross-sectional survey (N = 471) assessing body image disturbance, body appreciation, self-compassion and sexual distress in individuals with endometriosis. A series of hierarchical linear regression analyses were conducted to explore the relationship between key variables.

RESULTS: >80% of the sample reported clinically significant sexual distress and high levels of body image disturbance. Regression analyses indicated a moderate positive effect of body image disturbance with sexual distress, and a weaker inverse effect of self-compassion with sexual distress. Body appreciation was not associated with sexual distress, and no moderating effects of self-compassion were evident.

CONCLUSION: The high prevalence of sexual distress identified in this sample, along with the finding that body image disturbance was strongly associated with sexual distress, suggest that psychosocial interventions addressing body image may help ameliorate sexual distress in individuals with endometriosis.