A Bridge of Distress: Distress as the Critical Mediator Between Substance Use Disorders and Compulsive Sexual Behavior Disorder Among Women

Although substantial advances have been made in the field, only scant research has been conducted on substance use among women. In the current study (n = 132), we examined possible intermediate processes that could underline the high comorbidity between substance use disorders (SUDs), compulsive sexual behavior (CSBD), and risky sexual behaviors (RSB) among women: emotion regulation, distress, and perceived social support (PSS). Results indicate that women with SUDs have more prevalent RSB and higher CSBD symptoms than healthy controls. Using a model with SUD as a dependent measure, intermediate factors as mediators, and CSBD and RSB as outcomes, we found that women with SUDs had more significant sensations of distress and lowered PSS than healthy controls. However, only distress mediated the association between SUDs, CSBD, and RSB. The findings provide insights into the intermediate processes that intertwined addictive behaviors and an opportunity for developing novel and successful treatments for women.