Abstract
Although chronic pain significantly interferes with sexuality, few treatments have been developed which aim at improving sexual functioning. The present study asked participants to evaluate the helpfulness of a treatment group for women with chronic pain and sexual difficulties. The setting was a publicly funded interdisciplinary pain treatment program that integrates medical management, rehabilitation and self-management approaches via individual and group formats. The participants were forty-one women who ranged in age from 20 to 61 years, the majority with chronic pelvic pain, and the remainder with musculoskeletal pain or daily headache pain. Women attended a four-session group (8 hours) over a one-month period. The treatment group led by a physical therapist and a psychologist included topics such as communication, redefining sexuality, and sensate focus. A descriptive and qualitative analysis of the Treatment Helpfulness Questionnaire (THQ) including women's written comments on the THQ and a statistical analysis of the modified Sexual Activity Questionnaire (mSAQ) administered pre-group and one month post-group was conducted. The results showed that all 78% of the women strongly agreed and 22% agreed that the group was helpful. Qualitative content analysis of the written comments on the THQ revealed themes of ‘better understanding’, ‘eye opener and working towards a broader view’, ‘better connection and learning ways of communicating’, and ‘not very different from other women’. The mSAQ showed improvement on several aspects of sexual functioning including increased enjoyment, lubrication, satisfaction after sexual activity, and satisfaction with frequency, despite little change on pain during intercourse and fatigue. In conclusion, according to the participants' own perspective, women who live with chronic pain appeared to benefit significantly from a treatment group aimed at enhancing sexual satisfaction. Qualitative and quantitative analysis suggests hypotheses about mechanisms of change in the physical, cognitive, behavioral, and interpersonal domains.
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