Abstract

Studies have shown that psychological distress has a role in the symptomology of localized provoked vulvodynia. Therefore, psychosocial support has been presented as a valuable part of the treatment. However, little is known about which psychological variables that coincide with localized provoked vulvodynia. The purpose of this study was to identify qualities of psychological distress in patients with localized provoked vulvodynia. Patients with localized provoked vulvodynia were consecutively recruited to participate in this cross-sectional questionnaire-based study. Participants completed a self-report questionnaire measuring perfectionism, impostor phenomenon, self-compassion, anxiety and perceived stress. A sample of 30 patients were included. Questionnaire results suggestive of perfectionism was seen in 63%, impostor phenomenon in 80%, low self-compassion in 27%, anxiety in 43% and perceived stress in 23% of the participants. The level of self-compassion was higher in patients in a committed relationship. The investigated qualities appear to be more common in patients with localized provoked vulvodynia than in comparable groups. Impostor phenomenon and perfectionism were particularly common, with more than half of the study population scoring above the cutoff for clinical significance. This motivates research to investigate if interventions targeting impostor phenomenon and perfectionism, may aid in the treatment of localized provoked vulvodynia.

摘要

研究表明，心理困扰在局部诱发性外阴痛的症状中起作用。因此，心理社会支持已被视为治疗的重要组成部分。然而，对于哪些心理变量与局部诱发的外阴痛相一致，人们知之甚少。本研究的目的是确定局部诱发性外阴痛患者的心理困扰特征。连续招募患有局部诱发性外阴痛的患者参加这项基于问卷的横断面研究。参与者完成了一份自我报告问卷，衡量完美主义、冒名顶替现象、自我同情、焦虑和感知压力。纳入了 30 名患者的样本。问卷结果显示完美主义占63%，冒名顶替现象占80%，27% 的参与者缺乏自我同情心，43% 的参与者感到焦虑，23% 的参与者感到压力。处于忠诚关系中的患者的自我同情水平更高。所调查的特征似乎在局部诱发性外阴痛的患者中比在可比组中更常见。冒名顶替现象和完美主义尤其常见，超过一半的研究人群得分高于临床意义的临界值。这促使研究人员调查针对冒名顶替现象和完美主义的干预措施是否有助于治疗局部诱发的外阴痛。所调查的特征似乎在局部诱发性外阴痛的患者中比在可比组中更常见。冒名顶替现象和完美主义尤其常见，超过一半的研究人群得分高于临床意义的临界值。这促使研究人员调查针对冒名顶替现象和完美主义的干预措施是否有助于治疗局部诱发的外阴痛。所调查的特征似乎在局部诱发性外阴痛的患者中比在可比组中更常见。冒名顶替现象和完美主义尤其常见，超过一半的研究人群得分高于临床意义的临界值。这促使研究人员调查针对冒名顶替现象和完美主义的干预措施是否有助于治疗局部诱发的外阴痛。