The role of social constraints and catastrophizing in pelvic and urogenital pain

Introduction and hypothesis Pelvic and urogenital pain is complex and highly prevalent in women, and increased attention to psychosocial influences can guide more effective treatments. This study tested the hypothesis that social constraints (the perception that close others inhibit, discourage, or dissuade a person from disclosing one’s feelings or talking about one’s problems) would be associated with distress, pain, and problems with functioning, beyond the influence of the widely recognized risk factor of pain catastrophizing.