Sexuality in Endometriosis: Preliminary Data on Pain Malevolence and Illness Intrusiveness

Endometriosis has a major impact on women’s sexual health, lessening fertility and causing pain and reduced sexual desire in at least 50% of patients. This article investigates the relationship between infertility and sexual intercourse concerns and illness intrusiveness. Since both pain and illness can be interjected as malevolent internal objects, we also looked at the mediating effect of pain representation as a malevolent object on those relationships. Out of 116 women, 58 met our inclusion criteria (M = 37.37 years, SD = 5.10). We used the Endometriosis Health Profile-30, the Illness Intrusiveness Ratings Scale, and the Pain Personification Questionnaire. Results demonstrated that pain representation as a malevolent object totally mediated the relationship between both infertility and illness intrusiveness as well as sexual intercourse concerns and illness intrusiveness. Results highlight the importance of a psychodynamic approach to endometriosis, allowing for the effect of vulnerabilities developed in early childhood to be considered while approaching this illness.