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Attributions About Pain as Predictors of Psychological Symptomatology, Sexual Function, and Dyadic Adjustment in Women with Vestibulodynia

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Abstract

The present study examined whether attributions for vulvo-vaginal pain predicted pain intensity, sexual function, as well as psychological and dyadic adjustment in women with vestibulodynia. Women with vestibulodynia (N = 77) completed measures of attributions, pain, psychological distress, sexual functioning, and dyadic adjustment. They also took part in a structured interview and a gynaecological examination for diagnostic purposes. Attributions are represented by: (1) internality (personal responsibility) or externality (cause lies in an external situation); (2) globality (entire life affected by the problem) or specificity (problem affecting only a specific situation); (3) stability (problem will still remain in the future) or instability (weak probability that the problem will be maintained with time); and (4) partner responsibility (partner responsible or not for the problem). Results indicated that attributions were not significantly correlated with pain outcomes. However, after controlling for pain intensity and relationship duration, internal attributions predicted higher dyadic adjustment, both global and stable attributions predicted lower dyadic adjustment and higher psychological distress, whereas global attributions also predicted increased sexual impairment. Findings suggest that cognitive factors, such as attributions, may be related to psychological distress, sexual functioning, and dyadic adjustment in women with vestibulodynia. Results also highlight the importance of adhering to a biopsychosocial perspective focusing on pain reduction, sexual rehabilitation, and relationship enhancement in the treatment of dyspareunia.

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Notes

  1. A copy of the questionnaire is available from the corresponding author upon request.

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Acknowledgements

This research has been supported, in part, by a fellowship from the Centre de Recherche Interdisciplinaire sur les Problèmes Conjugaux et les Agressions Sexuelles (CRIPCAS) to Mélanie Jodoin, and grants from the Fonds de la recherche en santé du Québec and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research to Sophie Bergeron. The authors wish to thank Pierre McDuff and Jean Bégin for assistance with data analysis.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre de santé et de services sociaux LaSalle, LaSalle, QC, Canada

    Mélanie Jodoin & Geneviève Desrochers

  2. Department of Psychology, Université de Montréal, C.P. 6128, succursale Centre-Ville, Montréal, QC, H3C 3J7, Canada

    Sophie Bergeron

  3. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Jewish General Hospital, Montréal, QC, Canada

    Samir Khalifé

  4. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Centre Hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal–Pavillon Saint-Luc, Montréal, QC, Canada

    Marie-Josée Dupuis

  5. Department of Psychology, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada

    Bianca Leclerc

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Correspondence to Sophie Bergeron.

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Jodoin, M., Bergeron, S., Khalifé, S. et al. Attributions About Pain as Predictors of Psychological Symptomatology, Sexual Function, and Dyadic Adjustment in Women with Vestibulodynia. Arch Sex Behav 40, 87–97 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-010-9647-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-010-9647-7

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