Attachment styles and sexual dysfunctions: a case-control study of female and male sexuality.

The aim of this study was to investigate attachment styles in a group of women and men with sexual dysfunction. We recruited 44 subjects (21 women and 23 men) with sexual dysfunction and 41 subjects (21 women and 20 men) with healthy sexual function as the control group. Validated instruments for the evaluation of male and female sexual dysfunctions (M/F SD) and a psychometric tool specifically designed to investigate attachment style were administered. In women, significant differences were found between subjects with sexual dysfunction and healthy controls. The scales indicating an insecure attachment showed: discomfort with closeness (FSD = 42.85 ± 11.55 vs CTRL = 37.38 ± 8.54; P < 0.01), relationship as secondary (FSD = 26.76 ± 2.60 vs CTRL = 18.42 ± 7.99; P < 0.01), and need for approval (FSD=26.38 ± 3.61 vs CTRL = 20.76 ± 7.36; P < 0.01). Healthy women also had significantly higher scores in secure attachment (confidence: FSD = 24.57 ± 3.89 vs CTRL = 33.42 ± 5.74; P < 0.01). Men with sexual dysfunctions differed from healthy men in confidence (MSD = 30 ± 6.33 vs CTRL = 36.05 ± 5.26; P < 0.01) and in discomfort with closeness (MSD = 39.08 ± 8 vs CTRL = 34.25 ± 7.54; P < 0.05). These results suggest that particular aspects related to insecure attachment have a determinant role in people with sexual dysfunctions. It is therefore fundamental to identify the attachment styles and relational patterns in patients receiving counselling and psychological treatments focussed on sexual problems.

Alexithymia and vaginismus: a preliminary correlation perspective.

The aim of this study was to measure the prevalence of alexithymia and emotional dysregulation in women with vaginismus not associated with other organic or psychopathological disorders. The study involved the psychometric assessment of 41 patients with vaginismus and 100 healthy women, all of childbearing age. Alexithymia was evaluated by TAS-20 (Toronto Alexithymia Scale). Sexual function was assessed by FSFI (Female Sexual Function Index). In patients with vaginismus, the primary diagnosis of dyspareunia was excluded and an expert psychologist evaluated patients and controls according to DSM IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders: 4th edition) criteria to exclude mental disorders. Over half (51.1%) of the patients with vaginismus were classified as alexithymic or borderline (alexithymic trend), compared with just 18% of the control group. In addition, there was a significant difference in the TAS-20 total scores between the two groups (P<0.0001). In terms of relative risk, women suffering from vaginismus thus have a 3.8 times higher probability of showing alexithymia than do healthy women. Vaginismus is a complex syndrome and alexithymia is far from being its only characteristic. However, we found a significant correlation between vaginismus and alexithymia. In theory, alexithymia could thus be a risk factor for vaginismus, although future studies are required to demonstrate any chain of causation between these two conditions.