(283) THE IMPACT OF INDUCED PAIN/DISGUST EXPECTANCIES ON SEXUAL AROUSAL

Current models propose that heightened pain expectancies and inhibited sexual arousal are key components in the maintenance of sexual pain in Genito-Pelvic Pain/Penetration Disorder (GPPPD). Disgust expectancies might also contribute to the persistence of (sexual) pain via its counteracting impact on sexual arousal. To improve our understanding of the factors involved in the persistence of (sexual) pain, we designed a differential conditioning procedure to test if acquired pain/disgust expectancies indeed inhibit the sexually arousing properties of the CS+ (a porn clip).

The study consists of two parallel differential conditioning paradigms with the US being either a painful or a disgusting stimulus to which participants will be randomly assigned. In both cases, participants will be presented with a series of two different though similar conditional erotic film stimuli (CS+, CS-). Before the test stage, participants will be instructed that the CS+ will be followed by the US in some trials, while the CS- will never be followed by the US. In reality, the US will not actually be presented at all during the experiment; this is just a manipulation to create a US-expectancy for the CS+. The sample will consist of 72 (36 per in the disgust group and 36 in the pain group) predominantly heterosexual women ages 18+.

We do not yet have results available at this moment.

The results may have important implications; if the expectation of experiencing pain or disgust does in fact reduce subjective sexual arousal, this would provide a better understanding of the role that expectancy plays in sexual dysfunction in women. In turn, this would point to enhancing sexual arousal and reducing negative expectancies as critical targets for treatment of GPPPD.

N/A.