title: Sexual Assertiveness Mediates the Associations Between Partner Facilitative Responses and Sexual Outcomes in Women With Provoked Vestibulodynia.
abstract: Provoked vestibulodynia (PVD) is a recurrent idiopathic vulvo-vaginal pain associated with negative sexual and psychological consequences. Facilitative partner responses to pain are currently receiving empirical attention because they are positively associated with women's sexual outcomes. However, the mechanisms through which facilitative responses to pain are associated with these outcomes have not been examined. One potential mechanism is sexual assertiveness, which has been found to be associated with better sexual function and satisfaction in women with PVD. The present study examined whether women's sexual assertiveness mediated the association between women's perception of facilitative partner responses and women's sexual function and satisfaction. Women (N = 140) with PVD symptomatology completed self-reported questionnaires evaluating their perception of their partners' facilitative responses, and their own sexual assertiveness, sexual function, and sexual satisfaction. Dependent measures were sexual function measured by the Female Sexual Function Index and sexual satisfaction assessed by the Global Measure of Sexual Satisfaction Scale. Results indicated that women's higher sexual assertiveness mediated the association between their greater perceived facilitative partner responses and their improved sexual function and satisfaction. Findings suggest a potential mechanism through which partner responses may be associated with women's sexual outcomes.
authors: a Department of Psychology , Université de Montréal, Montréal , Quebec , Canada.
authors: Gabrielle
authors: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7623-1284
authors: G
authors: McNicoll
authors: b Department of Psychology and Neuroscience , Dalhousie University , Halifax , Nova Scotia , Canada.
authors: Serena
authors: S
authors: Corsini-Munt
authors: b Department of Psychology and Neuroscience , Dalhousie University , Halifax , Nova Scotia , Canada.|c Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, IWK Health Centre , Dalhousie University , Halifax , Nova Scotia , Canada.
authors: Natalie
authors: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4525-0770
authors: N
authors: O Rosen
authors: a Department of Psychology , Université de Montréal, Montréal , Quebec , Canada.
authors: Pierre
authors: P
authors: McDuff
authors: a Department of Psychology , Université de Montréal, Montréal , Quebec , Canada.
authors: Sophie
authors: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8601-761X
authors: S
authors: Bergeron
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D001242:Assertiveness; D003075:Coitus / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009948:Orgasm; D057566:Self Report; D012747:Sexual Partners / Q000523:psychology*; D056650:Vulvodynia / Q000523:psychology*