My Catastrophizing and Your Catastrophizing

Abstract

Objectives: Endometriosis, a chronic gynecologic pain condition, contributes to disruptions in multiple areas of life for both those affected and their partner. Pain catastrophizing has been associated with worse pain outcomes and quality of life for women with endometriosis, and with more cognitive load for partners. Examining both partners’ pain catastrophizing dyadically with our variables of interest will enhance our understanding of its associations to the distressing nature of experiencing and responding to pain during sex for couples with endometriosis. Methods: Persons with endometriosis experiencing pain during sex and their partners (n=52 couples; 104 individuals) completed online, self-report measures of pain catastrophizing, depressive symptoms, sexual satisfaction, and partner responses to pain. Persons with endometriosis reported on pain during sexual activity. Analyses were guided by the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model. Results: Persons with endometriosis’ pain catastrophizing was associated with their higher pain intensity and unpleasantness during sex. When persons with endometriosis reported more pain catastrophizing, they were less sexually satisfied and reported their partners responded more negatively to their pain. When partners reported higher catastrophizing, they were more depressed and responded more negatively to the pain. Discussion: Consistent with the Communal Coping Model of pain catastrophizing, although meant to elicit support from the environment, the often-deleterious cognitive process of magnifying, ruminating and feeling helpless about one’s pain (or one’s partner’s pain) is associated with poorer outcomes for the individual with pain and their romantic partner. Implications for pain management include the relevance of involving the partner and attending to pain cognitions of both members of the couple.