The Effectiveness of Emotion-Focused Psychotherapy and Counseling in Married Women with Vaginismus
Keywords:
Vaginismus, Emotion-Focused Psychotherapy, Counseling, Sexual Dysfunction, Married WomenAbstract
This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of emotion-focused psychotherapy and counseling in reducing vaginismus symptoms among married women. The study employed a quasi-experimental design with a pretest–posttest and follow-up structure including a control group. The statistical population comprised married women with vaginismus who referred to counseling centers in District 2 of Tehran during the second half of 2024 and the first half of 2025. Using purposive and convenience sampling, 30 eligible participants were selected and randomly assigned to an experimental group receiving emotion-focused psychotherapy and counseling and a control group, each consisting of 15 participants. Inclusion criteria included age between 30 and 45 years, at least two years of marital life, minimum lower secondary education, and willingness to participate in therapy sessions. Exclusion criteria involved pregnancy, severe psychiatric disorders, use of psychotropic medication, chronic physical illness, or excessive absence from sessions. Data were collected using a demographic questionnaire and the Vaginismus Questionnaire. Measurements were conducted at pretest, posttest, and follow-up stages. Data analysis was performed using repeated measures analysis of variance and Bonferroni post-hoc tests in SPSS version 26. Repeated measures ANOVA revealed significant main effects of time and group, as well as significant time × group interaction effects for all vaginismus components and the total score (p < .001). Effect sizes ranged from moderate to large, indicating substantial treatment impact. Bonferroni post-hoc comparisons showed significant reductions from pretest to posttest and from pretest to follow-up in the experimental group across all components (p < .01), while differences between posttest and follow-up were not statistically significant, suggesting stability of treatment effects over time. Emotion-focused psychotherapy and counseling were effective in significantly reducing vaginismus symptoms and maintaining therapeutic gains over time, highlighting the value of emotion-centered interventions in addressing the emotional and relational dimensions of vaginismus.
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