Sexual communication mediates cognitive–behavioral couple therapy outcomes: A randomized clinical trial for provoked vestibulodynia.
Kate M. Rancourt, Sophie Bergeron, Marie‐Pier Vaillancourt‐Morel, Dayna Lee‐Baggley, Isabelle Delisle, Natalie O. Rosen
Abstract
= 55). Outcome measures (sexual satisfaction, function, and distress) were collected at pre-treatment, post-treatment, and 6-month follow-up, and in-treatment measures of the mediators were taken at Weeks 1, 4, 8, and 12 of treatment. Results showed that affected women's reports of improving collaborative communication mediated the effect of CBCT, but not lidocaine, on post-treatment sexual satisfaction (women with PVD and partners), sexual function (women with PVD), and sexual distress (women with PVD). For partners, collaborative communication improved equally in both treatments. Given that there were no differences in negative SCPs between the CBCT and lidocaine conditions, it was not possible to examine negative communication as a potential mediator. From the perspective of women with PVD, CBCT helped couples communicate about their sexual problems in more collaborative ways, which was in turn beneficial for improving the sexual well-being of both members of the couple. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).