Negative metacognitive beliefs predict sexual distress over and above pain in women with endometriosis

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Negative metacognitive beliefs about worries, rather than dyspareunia or general chronic pain, predicted sexual distress in women with endometriosis.

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This cross-sectional study examined whether dyspareunia, general chronic pain, and metacognitive beliefs predict sexual distress in 96 women with an endometriosis diagnosis, using an ad hoc questionnaire and hierarchical logistic regression. Sexual distress was measured with the Female Sexual Distress Scale-Revised, metacognitive beliefs with the Metacognitions Questionnaire (MCQ30), and general chronic pain intensity with a numeric rating scale. The authors found that dyspareunia and chronic pain did not predict sexual distress, whereas negative beliefs about worries significantly predicted sexual distress over and above these pain variables (odds ratio 1.159, p = .040). Because the design is cross-sectional, the findings cannot establish causal direction between metacognitive beliefs and sexual distress. This paper is centrally about endometriosis — it focuses on metacognitive beliefs predicting sexual distress in women with endometriosis.

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Abstract

The aim of the study was to assess the predictive value of dyspareunia, general chronic pain, and metacognitive beliefs to sexual distress in a sample of women with endometriosis. Ninety-six women (mean age = 34.60 ± 6.44 years) with a diagnosis of endometriosis took part to this cross-sectional study. Sociodemographic and clinical data were collected by means of a structured ad hoc questionnaire. Metacognitive beliefs and sexual distress were assessed by means of the Metacognitions Questionnaire (MCQ30) and the Female Sexual Distress Scale-R (FSDS-r). General chronic pain intensity was collected by means of a Numeric Rating Scale. Data were subjected to Hierarchical logistic regression. We found high percentages of dyspareunia and sexual distress (i.e., 66% and 76%). Findings suggested that dyspareunia and chronic pain did not predict sexual distress, while negative beliefs about worries predicted sexual distress over and above them (p = .040, odd ratio 1.159). In the target population, metacognitive beliefs may have more influence on sexual distress than pain symptomatology.
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Abstract

The aim of the study was to assess the predictive value of dyspareunia, general chronic pain, and metacognitive beliefs to sexual distress in a sample of women with endometriosis. Ninety-six women (mean age = 34.60 ± 6.44 years) with a diagnosis of endometriosis took part to this cross-sectional study. Sociodemographic and clinical data were collected by means of a structured ad hoc questionnaire. Metacognitive beliefs and sexual distress were assessed by means of the Metacognitions Questionnaire (MCQ30) and the Female Sexual Distress Scale-R (FSDS-r). General chronic pain intensity was collected by means of a Numeric Rating Scale. Data were subjected to Hierarchical logistic regression. We found high percentages of dyspareunia and sexual distress (i.e., 66% and 76%). Findings suggested that dyspareunia and chronic pain did not predict sexual distress, while negative beliefs about worries predicted sexual distress over and above them (p = .040, odd ratio 1.159). In the target population, metacognitive beliefs may have more influence on sexual distress than pain symptomatology. Similar content being viewed by others

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Sexual Reprod Healthc 17:86–90. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.srhc.2018.07.008 Author information Authors and Affiliations Corresponding author Ethics declarations All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study. Conflict of interest The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest. Rights and permissions About this article Cite this article Zarbo, C., Brugnera, A., Compare, A. et al. Negative metacognitive beliefs predict sexual distress over and above pain in women with endometriosis. Arch Womens Ment Health 22, 575–582 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00737-018-0928-9 Received: Accepted: Published: Version of record: Issue date: DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00737-018-0928-9

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dyspareuniaendometriosischronic_pelvic_pain

MeSH descriptors

Depression Dyspareunia Endometriosis Metacognition Pelvic Floor Pelvic Pain Sexual Dysfunctions, Psychological Sexual Dysfunctions, Psychological Stress, Psychological Depression Dyspareunia Dyspareunia Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Female Humans Pelvic Floor Pelvic Pain Pelvic Pain

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