Natasha Zippan

Queen's University at Kingston, Psychology, Graduate Student

University of British Columbia, Psychology, Undergraduate

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Mature graduate student in Psychology from UBC (Critical Studies in Sexuality minor) currently working towards a PhD in Clinical Psychology at Queen's University, specializing in sexual issues. Sex research interests include women's sexual dysfunctions, hypersexuality/compulsive sexual behaviour, CSA, sex offenders, and paraphilias. General research interests include body dysmorphia, depression/suicide, perfectionism, and chronic illness.
Supervisors: Dr. Lori Brotto, Dr. Kyle Stephenson, Dr. Samantha Dawson, Dr. Beáta Bőthe, and Dr. Meredith Chivers
Address: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

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Kansas State University

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Pennsylvania State University

Dan Zahavi

University of Copenhagen

Vittorio Gallese

Università degli Studi di Parma (Italy)

Betsy Crane

Widener University

John Sutton

Macquarie University

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Papers by Natasha Zippan

Feasibility of a cognitive behavioral online intervention for women with Sexual Interest/Arousal Disorder

Journal of Clinical Psychology, Apr 8, 2021

ObjectivesDifficulties with sexual desire and arousal are common in women, but most lack access t... more ObjectivesDifficulties with sexual desire and arousal are common in women, but most lack access to effective treatment such as cognitive‐behavioral therapy (CBT). eSense is a recently created online CBT intervention for sexual difficulties with promising evidence of usability. The current study assessed the feasibility of women completing the full eSense CBT program without guidance.MethodsEleven women with Sexual Interest/Arousal Disorder completed eSense and provided feedback via semi‐structured interviews.ResultsParticipants reported high satisfaction with eSense's functionality, improved knowledge about sexuality, greater awareness of their thought patterns, and better perspective around their sexual difficulties. Despite some difficulty completing homework, participants exhibited statistically significant pre‐post improvements in sexual desire (d = 1.04), sexual arousal (d = 1.83), sexual satisfaction (d = 1.35), and sexual distress (d = 1.79).ConclusionThe findings add to the growing evidence that self‐guided online interventions are feasible and potentially efficacious in treating female sexual dysfunction.

Feasibility of an Online Mindfulness-Based Intervention for Women with Sexual Interest/Arousal Disorder

Mindfulness, Jan 4, 2022

Objectives Difficulties with sexual desire impact up to a third of women and most do not seek or ... more Objectives Difficulties with sexual desire impact up to a third of women and most do not seek or receive appropriate care for these complaints, in part due to stigma, embarrassment, and limited availability of treatment. In-person mindfulnessbased interventions have lasting benefits to sexual desire and sex-related distress in controlled clinical trials but are difficult to access. Online cognitive-behavioral interventions for sexual concerns have shown promising findings, but online mindfulness interventions have received little testing. The current study assessed the feasibility of an online program (called eSense-Mindfulness) adapted from an effective face-to-face intervention for women with Sexual Interest/Arousal Disorder. Methods Thirty cisgender women (M age = 35.3) with Sexual Interest/Arousal Disorder consented and completed at least one of the eight modules of eSense-Mindfulness while providing weekly feedback regarding their experience. Feasibility was assessed via attrition rates and participant self-report regarding challenges of using the program. Limited efficacy testing was based on effect sizes for changes in sexual response and sex-related distress. Results Participants (n = 25 who completed all testing) reported high levels of usability and ease of understanding content and reported the mindfulness exercises as well as the information on partner communication to be the most relevant. Limited efficacy testing showed large effect sizes for reductions in sex-related distress, and improvements in sexual desire, arousal, and satisfaction whereas there were smaller effect sizes for improvements in lubrication, orgasm, and vaginal pain. Conclusions The findings suggest that efficacious face-to-face mindfulness interventions for sexual dysfunction in women show excellent evidence of feasibility when delivered online without personalized guidance.

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History of Sexual Assault as a Predictor of Response to a Self-Guided Online Program for Sexual Desire and Arousal Difficulties in Women

Archives of Sexual Behavior

Feasibility of a Brief Online Psychoeducational Intervention for Women with Sexual Interest/Arousal Disorder

The Journal of Sexual Medicine, Sep 9, 2020

Background: Low sexual desire and arousal are the most common sexual concerns in women, but most ... more Background: Low sexual desire and arousal are the most common sexual concerns in women, but most women lack access to effective treatment such as cognitive behavioral therapy. Web-based psychological interventions, which are economical, private, easily accessible, and potentially effective, may increase the reach of evidence-based treatment. Aim: To determine the feasibility of translating cognitive behavioral therapy for the most common female sexual dysfunction, Female Sexual Interest/Arousal Disorder, into an online format. The present study examined the feasibility of an introductory psychoeducational module of eSense, an online program currently being developed that is based on existing empirically supported in-person treatments, which delivers content to the user in a visually appealing and interactive manner. Methods: Sixteen cisgender women (M age ¼ 31.9) with female sexual arousal/interest disorder worked through a pilot module of eSense inperson at a sexual health laboratory. Outcomes: Qualitative semistructured interviews and online questionnaires were used to assess participants' experiences of usability of the platform, clarity/relevance of the content, satisfaction with the experience, and any changes in clinical outcomes of sexual function and distress. Results: Participants reported a high level of satisfaction with the website's functionality and presentation. They reported greater knowledge, felt validated and more hopeful, and were eager to continue the remaining modules. Participants also reported notable prepost improvements in sexual desire, arousal, and satisfaction. Clinical Implications: Initial user-experience assessment may represent a method of simultaneously improving online interventions and providing therapeutic education to participants. Strengths & Limitations: This is one of the first studies, to our knowledge, to test a graphics-rich, interactive online intervention for sexual difficulties that does not require direct contact with expert providers or support groups. Limitations include the high level of education, motivation, and technical fluency of the sample and the potentially confounding effect of the researcher's presence during interviews. Because this was a feasibility study, the sample size was small, and no control group was included, limiting conclusions about efficacy and generalizability. Conclusion: The format of eSense appears to be feasible and usable, lending support to the growing evidence that it is possible to take in-person therapeutic interventions online.

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Feasibility of a cognitive behavioral online intervention for women with Sexual Interest/Arousal Disorder

Journal of Clinical Psychology

OBJECTIVES Difficulties with sexual desire and arousal are common in women, but most lack access ... more OBJECTIVES Difficulties with sexual desire and arousal are common in women, but most lack access to effective treatment such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). eSense is a recently created online CBT intervention for sexual difficulties with promising evidence of usability. The current study assessed the feasibility of women completing the full eSense CBT program without guidance. METHODS Eleven women with Sexual Interest/Arousal Disorder completed eSense and provided feedback via semi-structured interviews. RESULTS Participants reported high satisfaction with eSense's functionality, improved knowledge about sexuality, greater awareness of their thought patterns, and better perspective around their sexual difficulties. Despite some difficulty completing homework, participants exhibited statistically significant pre-post improvements in sexual desire (d = 1.04), sexual arousal (d = 1.83), sexual satisfaction (d = 1.35), and sexual distress (d = 1.79). CONCLUSION The findings add to the growing evidence that self-guided online interventions are feasible and potentially efficacious in treating female sexual dysfunction.

Feasibility of a Brief Online Psychoeducational Intervention for Women With Sexual Interest/Arousal Disorder

The Journal of Sexual Medicine

The study aimed to determine the heating values (HV) and proximate composition of the four variet... more The study aimed to determine the heating values (HV) and proximate composition of the four varieties of Napier Grass (Pennisetum purpureum Schumach) and native wild sugarcane (Sacharrum spontaneum L.) to generate a mathematical model for predicting HV of Napier Grass varieties and wild sugarcane biomass. The four varieties of Napier Grass namely King, Florida, Dwarf, and Princess Caroline as well as the wild sugarcane were used in this study. The proximate composition such as moisture, ash, organic matter (OM), carbon (C), nitrogen (N), C/N ratio, and heating value (HV) were determined to generate mathematical models. Only ash, nitrogen, organic matter (OM) and carbon (C) have statistically significant r values toward the heating value. Positive correlation was obtained in OM and C whereas negative correlations were obtained in ash and N. Linear regression using Waikato Environment for Knowledge Analysis (WEKA) machine learning generated mathematical models for group variables for predicting the heating value (HV). The organic matter (OM) content showed the most accurate model among the group variables used with adjusted R 2 value of 0.900, Pearson's r value of 0.915 and root mean square error (RMSE) value of 481.64 MJ/kg. Among the proximate composition parameters tested, OM is the most accurate predictor of the HV of the Napier Grass varieties and wild sugarcane biomass.

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Feasibility of an Online Mindfulness-Based Intervention for Women with Sexual Interest/Arousal Disorder

Mindfulness

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Feasibility of an Online Mindfulness-Based Intervention for Women with Sexual Interest/Arousal Disorder

by Natasha Zippan and Lori Brotto

Mindfulness, 2021

Difficulties with sexual desire impact up to a third of women and most do not seek or receive app... more Difficulties with sexual desire impact up to a third of women and most do not seek or receive appropriate care for these complaints, in part due to stigma, embarrassment, and limited availability of treatment. In-person mindfulness-based interventions have lasting benefits to sexual desire and sex-related distress in controlled clinical trials but are difficult to access. Online cognitive-behavioral interventions for sexual concerns have shown promising findings, but online mindfulness interventions have received little testing. The current study assessed the feasibility of an online program (called eSense-Mindfulness) adapted from an effective face-to-face intervention for women with Sexual Interest/Arousal Disorder. Limited efficacy testing showed large effect sizes for reductions in sex-related distress, and improvements in sexual desire, arousal, and satisfaction whereas there were smaller effect sizes for improvements in lubrication, orgasm, and vaginal pain. Conclusions The findings suggest that efficacious face-to-face mindfulness interventions for sexual dysfunction in women show excellent evidence of feasibility when delivered online without personalized guidance.

Download

Feasibility of a cognitive behavioral online intervention for women with Sexual Interest/ Arousal Disorder

Journal of Clinical Psychology, 2021

Objectives: Difficulties with sexual desire and arousal are common in women, but most lack access... more Objectives: Difficulties with sexual desire and arousal are common in women, but most lack access to effective treatment such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). eSense is a recently created online CBT intervention for sexual difficulties with promising evidence of usability. The current study assessed the feasibility of women completing the full eSense CBT program without guidance. Methods: Eleven women with Sexual Interest/Arousal Disorder completed eSense and provided feedback via semi-structured interviews. Results: Participants reported high satisfaction with eSense's functionality, improved knowledge about sexuality, greater awareness of their thought patterns, and better perspective around their sexual difficulties. Despite some difficulty completing homework, participants exhibited statistically significant pre-post improvements in sexual desire (d = 1.04), sexual arousal (d = 1.83), sexual satisfaction (d = 1.35), and sexual distress (d = 1.79). Conclusion: The findings add to the growing evidence that self-guided online interventions are feasible and potentially efficacious in treating female sexual dysfunction. K E Y W O R D S CBT, female sexual dysfunction, internet interventions, online therapy, Sexual Interest/Arousal Disorder, telehealth

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Feasibility of a brief online psychoeducational intervention for women with Sexual Interest/Arousal Disorder

Journal of Sexual Medicine, 2020

Background: Low sexual desire and arousal are the most common sexual concerns in women, but most ... more Background: Low sexual desire and arousal are the most common sexual concerns in women, but most women lack access to effective treatment such as cognitive behavioral therapy. Web-based psychological interventions, which are economical, private, easily accessible, and potentially effective, may increase the reach of evidence-based treatment. Aim: To determine the feasibility of translating cognitive behavioral therapy for the most common female sexual dysfunction, Female Sexual Interest/Arousal Disorder, into an online format. The present study examined the feasibility of an introductory psychoeducational module of eSense, an online program currently being developed that is based on existing empirically supported in-person treatments, which delivers content to the user in a visually appealing and interactive manner. Methods: Sixteen cisgender women (M age = 31.9) with female Sexual Arousal/Interest Disorder worked through a pilot module of eSense in person at a sexual health laboratory. Outcomes: Qualitative semi-structured interviews and online questionnaires were used to assess participants' experiences of usability of the platform, clarity/relevance of the content, satisfaction with the experience, and any changes in clinical outcomes of sexual function and distress. Results: Participants reported a high level of satisfaction with the website's functionality and presentation. They reported greater knowledge, felt validated and more hopeful, and were eager to continue the remaining modules. Participants also reported notable pre-post improvements in sexual desire, arousal, and satisfaction. Clinical Implications: Initial user-experience assessment may represent a method of simultaneously improving online interventions and providing therapeutic education to participants. Strengths & Limitations: This is one of the first studies, to our knowledge, to test a graphics-rich, interactive online intervention for sexual difficulties that does not require direct contact with expert providers or support groups. Limitations include the high level of education, motivation, and technical fluency of the sample and the potentially confounding effect of the researcher's presence during interviews. Because this was a feasibility study, the sample size was small, and no control group was included, limiting conclusions about efficacy and generalizability. Conclusion: The format of eSense appears to be feasible and usable, lending support to the growing evidence that it is possible to take in-person therapeutic interventions online.

Download

Feasibility of a cognitive behavioral online intervention for women with Sexual Interest/Arousal Disorder

Journal of Clinical Psychology, Apr 8, 2021

Feasibility of an Online Mindfulness-Based Intervention for Women with Sexual Interest/Arousal Disorder

Mindfulness, Jan 4, 2022

Download

History of Sexual Assault as a Predictor of Response to a Self-Guided Online Program for Sexual Desire and Arousal Difficulties in Women

Archives of Sexual Behavior

Feasibility of a Brief Online Psychoeducational Intervention for Women with Sexual Interest/Arousal Disorder

The Journal of Sexual Medicine, Sep 9, 2020

Download

Feasibility of a cognitive behavioral online intervention for women with Sexual Interest/Arousal Disorder

Journal of Clinical Psychology

Feasibility of a Brief Online Psychoeducational Intervention for Women With Sexual Interest/Arousal Disorder

The Journal of Sexual Medicine

Download

Feasibility of an Online Mindfulness-Based Intervention for Women with Sexual Interest/Arousal Disorder

Mindfulness

Download

Feasibility of an Online Mindfulness-Based Intervention for Women with Sexual Interest/Arousal Disorder

by Natasha Zippan and Lori Brotto

Mindfulness, 2021

Download

Feasibility of a cognitive behavioral online intervention for women with Sexual Interest/ Arousal Disorder

Journal of Clinical Psychology, 2021

Download

Feasibility of a brief online psychoeducational intervention for women with Sexual Interest/Arousal Disorder

Journal of Sexual Medicine, 2020

Background: Low sexual desire and arousal are the most common sexual concerns in women, but most ... more Background: Low sexual desire and arousal are the most common sexual concerns in women, but most women lack access to effective treatment such as cognitive behavioral therapy. Web-based psychological interventions, which are economical, private, easily accessible, and potentially effective, may increase the reach of evidence-based treatment. Aim: To determine the feasibility of translating cognitive behavioral therapy for the most common female sexual dysfunction, Female Sexual Interest/Arousal Disorder, into an online format. The present study examined the feasibility of an introductory psychoeducational module of eSense, an online program currently being developed that is based on existing empirically supported in-person treatments, which delivers content to the user in a visually appealing and interactive manner. Methods: Sixteen cisgender women (M age = 31.9) with female Sexual Arousal/Interest Disorder worked through a pilot module of eSense in person at a sexual health laboratory. Outcomes: Qualitative semi-structured interviews and online questionnaires were used to assess participants' experiences of usability of the platform, clarity/relevance of the content, satisfaction with the experience, and any changes in clinical outcomes of sexual function and distress. Results: Participants reported a high level of satisfaction with the website's functionality and presentation. They reported greater knowledge, felt validated and more hopeful, and were eager to continue the remaining modules. Participants also reported notable pre-post improvements in sexual desire, arousal, and satisfaction. Clinical Implications: Initial user-experience assessment may represent a method of simultaneously improving online interventions and providing therapeutic education to participants. Strengths & Limitations: This is one of the first studies, to our knowledge, to test a graphics-rich, interactive online intervention for sexual difficulties that does not require direct contact with expert providers or support groups. Limitations include the high level of education, motivation, and technical fluency of the sample and the potentially confounding effect of the researcher's presence during interviews. Because this was a feasibility study, the sample size was small, and no control group was included, limiting conclusions about efficacy and generalizability. Conclusion: The format of eSense appears to be feasible and usable, lending support to the growing evidence that it is possible to take in-person therapeutic interventions online.

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