The main goal of this study was to assess the efficacy of cognitive-behavioural therapy for couples in which the woman suffers from provoked vestibulodynia by comparing it to a standard medical treatment (lidocaine: local anesthetic applied daily). An infographic summarizing the main results regarding the efficacy of these treatments is below.
In addition, we studied other research questions. Among these questions, we assessed how self-compassion was associated to the intensity of pain and to psychological, sexual and relational well-being of couples with provoked vestibulodynia. You can read a blog article summarizing the results here or a short summary here. Finally, we also assessed if concerns regarding attachment (fear of intimacy, anxiety related to losing their partner) would be associated with the way in which the woman’s partner reacts to their pain, but also if these concerns regarding attachment would affect the way women perceive their partner’s reactions. You can read a blog article regarding the results here.
