Lived Experience of Spouses of Women with Vaginismus Regarding Marital Relationships

Document Type : Qualitative

Authors

1 Associate Professor, Department of Family Counseling

2 PhD student in counseling, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Kurdistan, Sanandaj, Iran.

3 PhD. Student in Counselling, University of Kurdistan, Kurdistan, Iran.

10.22034/fcp.2025.143066.2276

Abstract

Family, as one of the main pillars of society, plays an important role in the sexual and mental health of individuals, and disruption in family relationships can lead to broader social problems. Sexual satisfaction and sexual health of couples are key factors in marital satisfaction and quality of life. Vaginismus, as a sexual disorder, can have profound negative effects on marital relationships. However, little research has been done on the experiences of the spouses of these women. Objective: The purpose of this study is to investigate the lived experience of the husbands of women with vaginismus in marital relationships. Method: This qualitative study was conducted using a descriptive phenomenological approach. In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 men whose wives had vaginismus. Data analysis was performed using the 7-step Colaizzi method. Findings: The findings were categorized into 6 main themes: challenges of marital relationship, coping with the problem, negative feelings and experiences related to marital relationship, childbearing problems and their consequences, adaptation and acceptance, and social and cultural impacts. Conclusion: The lived experience of men in marital relationships under conditions of vaginismus is complex and multifaceted and requires special psychological and counseling support for couples. This research shows that vaginismus has serious negative effects not only on women but also on their spouses, highlighting the need for more attention to this issue.

Keywords

Main Subjects

Files

History

  • Receive Date: 04 February 2025
  • Revise Date: 03 June 2025
  • Accept Date: 30 May 2026

Share

How to cite

Statistics