Etiological Correlates of Vaginismus: Sexual and Physical Abuse, Sexual Knowledge, Sexual Self-Schema, and Relationship Adjustment
Authors: REISSING, ELKE D.1; BINIK, YITZCHAK M.; KHALIF, SAMIR2; COHEN, DEBORAH; AMSEL, RHONDA3
Source: Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy, Volume 29, Number 1, 1 January 2003 , pp. 47-59(13)
Abstract:
This study investigated the role of sexual and physical abuse, sexual self-schema, sexual functioning, sexual knowledge, relationship adjustment, and psychological distress in 87 women matched on age, relationship status, and parity and assigned to 3 groups- vaginismus, dyspareunia/vulvar vestibulitis syndrome (VVS), and no pain. More women with vaginismus reported a history of childhood sexual interference, and women in both the vaginismus and VVS groups reported lower levels of sexual functioning and a less positive sexual self-schema. Lack of support for traditionally held hypotheses concerning etiological correlates of vaginismus and the relationship between vaginismus and dyspareunia are discussed.Document Type: Research article
Affiliations: 1: School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada 2: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Jewish General Hospital, and Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montr al, Qu bec, Canada 3: Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montr al, Qu bec, Canada

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