Female sexual pain disorders and cognitive behavioral therapy

Female Sexual Pain Disorders and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

The article addressed here deals with female sexual pain disorders and the use of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to treat those disorders. These disorders are much more prevalent than many people would assume, and this is a serious concern for women and for the medical community (LoFrisco, 2011). The general question asked by the study was whether cognitive behavioral therapy would be helpful for the treatment of these disorders because there are so many mental components that come along with disorders of this type (LoFrisco, 2011). The psychological elements that go along with sexual pain disorders can be very pronounced, and can require treatment that goes beyond just addressing the pain on a physical level. The hypothesis presented by the author was that cognitive behavioral therapy would be beneficial to women who have sexual pain disorders (LoFrisco, 2011). The therapy was viewed as an alternative treatment when compared with other options such as medication or surgery. The other options are more invasive physically, and that is particularly true where the surgery is concerned.

Because the other options have invasive issues in which many women may not be interested, learning to manage their sexual pain disorders from a mental standpoint may be a more significant way of handling the issue. While this will not be true for all women, it certainly may be true for some - and that could change the way these women feel about themselves and about the illnesses or disorders they face. For the methodology, the author examined previous research and analyzed various studies with a high degree of detail (LoFrisco, 2011). By addressing a critical analysis of the research studies of the past, the author avoided the requirements that would have been needed when it came to working with study participants or human subjects. Still, an analysis of the studies done by other researchers does provide a great deal of information, specifically for how other researchers have approached the issue and whether cognitive behavioral theory has been shown to work in the past (Bergeron, et al., 2001).

The author was not able to fully test her hypothesis because she did not perform any kind of human subject testing, such as surveys or questionnaires. However, she was able to use an analysis of past studies to determine that cognitive behavioral therapy was working well for women in other studies that were similar to hers. That analysis led her to the opinion that her hypothesis was valid in that cognitive behavioral therapy was an effective way to treat women for sexual pain disorders, due to the psychological component so many of those disorders contained (LoFrisco, 2011). The data was analyzed in a relatively subjective and qualitative manner, since the information came from what was reported by other authors of other studies. Generally, however, the vast majority of the studies analyzed by the author did indicate that cognitive behavioral therapy had been useful (LoFrisco, 2011). The author further considered the studies of the past by identifying the gaps that were seen in the research and indicating suggested directions for future studies into the same issue (LoFrisco, 2011).

Ultimately, the author found that cognitive behavioral therapy was effective for female sexual pain disorders, but only if the cognitive behavioral therapy was undertaken properly. Findings included the understanding that modalities that had very little interaction with the therapist (or direction from the therapist) were highly problematic and not nearly as effective when it came to helping women get past their disease or condition from a mental or psychological standpoint (LoFrisco, 2011). Additionally, the author concluded that other noninvasive treatments could be used, and those treatments may be better for treating the psychological aspects of female sexual pain disorders. Supported psychotherapy and biofeedback were two of the suggested options that could be used in place of cognitive behavioral therapy, indicating that the author was aware of the value of cognitive behavioral therapy but also aware of the limitations of the technique in this context (LoFrisco, 2011).

The article was interesting, mostly because female sexual pain disorders are something about which most people do not talk. There is a certain "taboo" about female sexuality and sexual health that began many years ago and has carried right on through the modern day (Bergeron, et al., 2001; Van Lankveld, et al., 2006). Although women are more open about their sexuality than they used to be, there are many areas of sexual health they still do not discuss and may not feel comfortable addressing with a partner or even with their doctor. The research into sexual pain disorders in women is very valuable because of the taboo and because it is important to let women know that these disorders exist and that there is more they can do to seek help for them (Van Lankveld, et al., 2006). They are not alone in the issues with which they may struggle in life, and they need to understand that they have many options they can consider - and that not all of those options are designed for their physical health, but for their psychological health, as well. The study could be very helpful to women who are uncertain what else they can do about their sexual pain disorder, and could also help doctors and other practitioners understand that there is more than just physical health to be considered with these kinds of disorders.