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Introduction. Although research that takes into account partner and relationship factors in dyspareunia is slowly emerging, little is known about how these couples communicate about their sexuality. Additionally, partner psycho- sexual adjustment has not been examined in a controlled fashion. Aim. This study aimed to compare dyadic sexual communication, dyadic adjustment, psychological adjustment, and sexual well-being of women with self-reported dyspareunia and their partners with those of pain-free control women and their partners. Methods. Premenopausal women (n = 38; mean (M) age = 24.92) with self-reported dyspareunia, their partners (n = 38; M age = 26.71), as well as pain-free control women (n = 44; M age = 25.86) and their partners (n = 44; M age = 27.95) completed an online survey measuring dyadic sexual communication, dyadic adjustment, anxiety, depression, sexual functioning, and sexual distress. Main Outcome Measures. Assessments of women and men's (i) dyadic sexual communication; (ii) dyadic adjustment; (iii) anxiety; (iv) depression; (v) sexual functioning; and (vi) women's sexual distress were the main outcome measures. Results. Compared with pain-free controls, women with dyspareunia reported significantly poorer dyadic sexual communication, a difference not found between partners of women with dyspareunia and control partners. Com- pared with partners of control women, those of women with dyspareunia reported significantly more impaired sexual functioning. No differences in dyadic adjustment were found between women with dyspareunia and pain-free control women, or between their respective partners. Finally, compared with control women, those with dyspareunia reported significantly more impaired psychological and sexual well-being. Conclusions. Findings suggest that dyspareunia impacts not only the psychosexual adjustment of affected women but also that of their partners. It seems relevant to include both members of the couple in future research and treatment for dyspareunia. Pazmany E, Bergeron S, Verhaeghe J, Van Oudenhove L, and Enzlin P. Sexual communi- cation, dyadic adjustment, and psychosexual well-being in premenopausal women with self-reported dys- pareunia and their partners: A controlled study. J Sex Med 2014;11:1786-1797.

Introduction Although it is known that women with dyspareunia suffer from impaired psychological and sexual functioning, the study of the various dimensions of sexual self-schema and their associations with these outcomes has been neglected. Aim To examine whether self-image cognitions about vaginal penetration, body image, and feelings and beliefs about one's own genitals contribute to the variance in pain, sexual functioning, and sexual distress. Methods Premenopausal women (n=231; M age=24.85, SD=5.55) with self-reported dyspareunia completed an online survey focusing on self-image cognitions about vaginal penetration, body image, female genital self-image, pain during intercourse, sexual functioning, sexual distress, anxiety, and catastrophizing. Main Outcome Measures (i) Pain intensity during intercourse, (ii) the Female Sexual Function Index without the Pain subscale, and (iii) the Female Sexual Distress Scale. Results Controlling for anxiety and catastrophizing, negative self-image cognitions about vaginal penetration, negative body image, and negative genital self-image together accounted for a portion of the variance in increased pain intensity, sexual dysfunction, and sexual distress. However, only self-image cognitions about vaginal penetration (β=0.25, P =0.005) contributed uniquely to the variance in pain intensity, whereas self-image cognitions about vaginal penetration (β=−0.18, P =0.048) and genital self-image (β=0.21, P =0.008) contributed independently to the variance in sexual functioning. Finally, self-image cognitions about vaginal penetration (β=0.28, P P P =0.006) each contributed independently to the variance in sexual distress. Conclusions Findings suggest that self-image cognitions about vaginal penetration and feelings and beliefs about one's own body and genitals are associated with pain and sexuality outcomes in women with dyspareunia. Pazmany E, Bergeron S, Van Oudenhove L, Verhaeghe J, and Enzlin P. Aspects of sexual self-schema in premenopausal women with dyspareunia: Associations with pain, sexual function, and sexual distress. J Sex Med 2013;10:2255–2264.