Determination of Dyadic Adjustment, Marriage and Sexual Satisfaction as Risk Factors for Women with Lifelong Vaginismus: A Case Control Study

Abstract

This study was conducted to assess dyadic adjustment, marriage, and sexual satisfaction as risk factors for women with lifelong vaginismus. This is a case-control study. A total of 142 women were included in the study: 71 women with a diagnosis of lifetime vaginismus constituted the study group and 71 women without a history of vaginismus/painful sexual activity constituted the control group. Data were collected using a questionnaire and the Revised Dyadic Adjustment Scale (RDAS), the Marriage Satisfaction Scale (MSS), and the Golombok-Rust Inventory of Sexual Satisfaction (GRISS). Duration of marriage ( OR = 1.344), frequency of sexual intercourse ( OR = 0.059), marital satisfaction ( OR = 1.450), sexual satisfaction ( OR = 0.901), and consensus ( OR = 1.749), which is a sub-dimension of RDAS, were found to be risk factors increasing likelihood of vaginismus by 83% ( χ2 = 140.191, p < .001). In addition, those with low level of education, diagnosed with a psychological disorder (anxiety, depression, etc.), who found their spouse’s body disgusting, who scored lower in MAS sub-dimensions, and who received lower total score in the RDAS and its satisfaction subdimension were more likely to have vaginismus ( p < .05). Duration of marriage, sexual intercourse frequency, sexual satisfaction, marital satisfaction, and consensus are important risk factors for vaginismus. It may be incomplete to consider vaginismus only as a vaginal penetration problem. Women’s demographic characteristics, dyadic adjustment, and marital and sexual satisfaction should be handled in a holistic manner.