Psychosocial correlates of pain attributions in women with dyspareunia

The relationship between patients' causal attributions for pain and biopsyc hosocial measures was investigated in a sample of 100 women with dyspareuni a. Independently of findings from the gynecological examinations, causal at tributions were related to adjustment. More specifically, the women who mad e psychosocial attributions reported higher pain scores, higher levels of p sycho- more frequent reports of sexual assault. The relationship between ps ychosocial causal attributions for pain and psychosocial distress may be cl inically useful in the multidisciplinary treatment of this and other pain d isorders, regardless of actual physical pathology.