School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
Department of Psychology, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada.
J Sex Med. 2020 May;17(5):975-984. doi: 10.1016/j.jsxm.2020.01.017. Epub 2020 Mar 6.
For couples coping with provoked vestibulodynia (PVD), interpersonal sexual goals are associated with sexual and psychological functioning as well as women's pain during intercourse, however, self-focused sexual goals (eg, having sex for personal pleasure, having sex to avoid feeling bad about oneself) have not been studied in this clinical population.
The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between self-focused approach and avoidance sexual goals and women's pain during intercourse and sexual satisfaction and depressive symptoms for both women and their partners.
Women diagnosed with PVD (N = 69) and their partners completed measures of self-focused sexual goals, sexual satisfaction, and depressive symptoms. Women also reported on pain experienced during sexual intercourse.
Outcomes included the Global Measure of Sexual Satisfaction, the Beck Depression Inventory-II, and a Numerical Rating Scale of pain during sexual intercourse.
When women reported higher self-focused approach sexual goals, they also reported lower pain intensity. Women's higher self-focused avoidance sexual goals were associated with their own higher depressive symptoms, whereas men's higher self-focused approach goals were associated with their own higher depressive symptoms. When controlling for frequency of sexual intercourse, there were no significant associations between women or partners' sexual goals and sexual satisfaction.
Within a clinical context where many interpersonal pressures for sex exist, interventions should target self-focused sexual goals alongside interpersonal sexual goals to improve pain and psychological adjustment.
STRENGTHS & LIMITATIONS: This is the first study to examine self-focused sexual goals among women with PVD and their partners. This study is cross-sectional, and the direction of associations cannot be inferred. Couples were in mixed-sex relationships, and results may not generalize to same-sex couples.
Findings suggest that self-focused goals are relevant to the psychological adjustment of women with PVD and their male partners and for women's pain. Corsini-Munt S, Bergeron S, Rosen NO. Self-Focused Reasons for Having Sex: Associations Between Sexual Goals and Women's Pain and Sexual and Psychological Well-being for Couples Coping With Provoked Vestibulodynia. J Sex Med 2020;17:975-984.
对于患有唤起性外阴疼痛（PVD）的夫妇来说，人际间的性目标与性和心理功能以及女性性交时的疼痛有关，然而，自我关注的性目标（例如，为了个人愉悦而进行性行为，为了避免自我感觉不好而进行性行为）尚未在这一临床人群中进行研究。
本研究旨在探讨自我关注的趋近和回避性目标与女性性交疼痛、性满意度以及女性及其伴侣的抑郁症状之间的关系。
患有 PVD 的女性（N=69）及其伴侣完成了自我关注性目标、性满意度和抑郁症状的测量。女性还报告了性交时的疼痛感受。
当女性报告有更高的自我关注趋近性目标时，她们也报告有更低的疼痛强度。女性更高的自我关注回避性目标与自身更高的抑郁症状有关，而男性更高的自我关注趋近性目标与自身更高的抑郁症状有关。当控制性交频率时，女性或伴侣的性目标与性满意度之间没有显著关联。
在存在许多人际间性压力的临床环境中，干预措施应同时针对自我关注性目标和人际间性目标，以改善疼痛和心理适应。
这是第一项研究女性患有 PVD 及其伴侣的自我关注性目标的研究。本研究是横断面研究，不能推断关联的方向。夫妻处于混合性别关系中，结果可能不适用于同性伴侣。
研究结果表明，自我关注的目标与女性患有 PVD 及其男性伴侣的心理适应以及女性的疼痛有关。Corsini-Munt S、Bergeron S、Rosen NO。自我关注的性行为原因：性目标与患有唤起性外阴疼痛的女性及其伴侣的疼痛和性及心理幸福感的关联。性医学杂志 2020；17：975-984。
