title: Interpretation of the Sexual Functioning Questionnaire in the presence of vulvar pain.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to assess whether the domains identified by items on the Sexual Functioning Questionnaire (SFQ) apply to women with vulvodynia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-one women with vulvodynia and 43 asymptomatic controls, between the ages 18 and 70 years, were assessed with a physician evaluation and a written survey that included the SFQ.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Women with vulvodynia had a higher likelihood of female sexual dysfunction than did controls as indicated by 5 of the seven individual SFQ domains (desire, arousal-lubrication, pain, enjoyment, and partner domains, p < .05). Scored on individual items relating to pain or penetrative sex differed more by vulvodynia presence than did items related to arousal and emotions. Compared with published SFQ psychometrics, factor analysis among women with vulvodynia demonstrated similar factor loadings in 6 of the 7 domains of the SFQ (desire, arousal-sensation, arousal-lubrication, orgasm, partner, and pain), but the enjoyment domain intermingled substantially with these other domains.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The SFQ factor structure is generally valid among women with vulvodynia. However, vulvodynia may impact responses to individual items on questions about pain and/or penetration, which may potentially result in erroneous interpretations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48105, USA.
authors.forename: Laurie J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Legocki
authors.forename: James E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Aikens
authors.forename: Ananda
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sen
authors.forename: Hope K
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Haefner
authors.forename: Barbara D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Reed
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008487:Medical History Taking / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D060728:Reproductive Health; D012735:Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D056650:Vulvodynia / Q000150:complications*; D055815:Young Adult