title: Partner behavioral responses to pain mediate the relationship between partner pain cognitions and pain outcomes in women with provoked vestibulodynia.
abstract: Partner behavioral responses to pain can have a significant impact on patient pain and depression, but little is known about why partners respond in specific ways. Using a cognitive-behavioral model, the present study examined whether partner cognitions were associated with partner behavioral responses, which prior work has found to predict patient pain and depressive symptoms. Participants were 354 women with provoked vestibulodynia and their partners. Partner pain-related cognitions were assessed using the partner versions of the Pain Catastrophizing Scale and Extended Attributional Style Questionnaire, whereas their behavioral responses to pain were assessed with the Multidimensional Pain Inventory. Patient pain was measured using a numeric rating scale, and depressive symptoms were assessed using the Beck Depression Inventory-II. Path analysis was used to examine the proposed model. Partner catastrophizing and negative attributions were associated with negative partner responses, which were associated with higher patient pain. It was also found that partner pain catastrophizing was associated with solicitous partner responses, which in turn were associated with higher patient pain and depressive symptoms. The effect of partner cognitions on patient outcomes was partially mediated by partner behavioral responses. Findings highlight the importance of assessing partner cognitions, both in research and as a target for intervention.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study presents a cognitive-behavioral model to partially explain how significant others' thoughts about pain have an effect on patient pain and depressive symptoms. Findings may inform cognitive-behavioral therapy for couples coping with PVD.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Psychology, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Electronic address: seth.davis@mail.utoronto.ca.
authors.forename: Seth N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Sophie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bergeron
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, McGill University, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Gentiana
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sadikaj
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Serena
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Corsini-Munt
authors.affiliation: Department of Social and Preventative Medicine, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Steben
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D058443:Catastrophization / Q000523:psychology*; D003071:Cognition; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012747:Sexual Partners / Q000523:psychology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D056650:Vulvodynia / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Provoked vestibulodynia; cognitive-behavioral therapy; female; genital pain; partner responses