فرحناز طاهری نژاد

Objective: This research aimed to examine the effectiveness of emotion regulation training in enhancing sexual performance and reducing psychological distress among the partners of pregnant women. Methods: A quasi-experimental design with pretest-posttest measures was implemented, involving experimental and control groups. The study population consisted of husbands of pregnant women attending gynecology clinics in Tehran in 2023. A purposive sampling method selected 30 individuals, divided equally into two groups of 15 members each. Data were analysed with multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) to compare post-intervention outcomes while adjusting for baseline scores. Results: Data were collected using the Male Sexual Function Questionnaire (Rosen et al., 1997) and the Psychological Distress Questionnaire (Kessler et al., 2003). The experimental group received emotion regulation training over eight one-hour sessions based on Gross’s model, while the control group did not receive this intervention. Results indicated that the emotion regulation training program effectively reduced psychological distress scores and improved sexual function in post-test assessments. Conclusion: Emotion regulation training, based on Gross's model, appears to be a cost-effective and non-pharmacological intervention that significantly enhances emotional-behavioral functions and sexual performance for both women and men.