Approach and avoidance interpersonal goals in women with vulvodynia and their partners: A daily experience study

Chronic pain problems of the reproductive system are frequently misdiagnosed or ignored, resulting in a great personal and financial cost to women and society. One prevalent (16%) condition is vulvodynia, or chronic unexplained vulvar pain. Vulvodynia negatively affects all aspects of women's sexuality, and the quality of life and romantic relationships of women and their partners. Despite the interpersonal nature of this condition, studies examining relationship factors are lacking. The current proposal builds on our prior research on the influence of romantic relationships in vulvodynia as well as past studies on the important role of goals in chronic pain. Over 80% of women with vulvodynia continue to have intercourse, possibly because of interpersonal goals such as wanting to promote intimacy (i.e., approach goals) or to avoid a partner's disappointment (i.e., avoidance goals). The proposed two-centre, two-month daily diary study examines the role of women's own and their partner's sexual goals on her pain during intercourse and the psychological and sexual adjustment of both members of the couple. We expect that on days when women or their partners pursue sex for approach goals, women will report lower pain, and women and partners will report better sexual and psychological functioning, whereas on days when women or their partners pursue sex for avoidance goals, women will report greater pain and both will report lower sexual and psychological functioning. We also expect that higher approach goals will lead people to attend more to positive cues during sex, which will lead to less pain and better sexual and psychological functioning, whereas higher avoidance goals will lead people to attend more to negative cues during sex, which will lead to poorer functioning. Results may improve the health and quality of life of women with vulvodynia by suggesting that psychological interventions focus on increasing approach and decreasing avoidance sexual goals.