Psychotherapy for Women avoiding Intercourse in a Traditional Culture

Abstract

Vaginismus is the fear of pain associated with the involuntary contraction of the outer third part of vagina upon entry. These women are usually phobic about intercourse and avoid penetration. Although rare in western cultures, vaginismus is the most common clinical reason for referral for female sexual dysfunction in Turkey where sex therapy is the usual psychotherapy approach used. This article focuses on the treatment of vaginismus through combining homogeneous group therapy and psychodrama with sex therapy techniques for treating women referred with vaginismus. It also headlines those characteristics of women and men that mainly arise from cultural factors.