NY01 Version 2 Practice Test

Genito-pelvic pain/penetration disorder centers on difficulties with vaginal penetration and includes involuntary tightening of the pelvic floor muscles during attempts at penetration. That muscle guarding can make penetration painful or impossible and often goes hand in hand with fear or anxiety about penetration and avoidance. In modern classifications, the involuntary pelvic floor contractions are a key component of this disorder, which is why this label best fits the description. Dyspareunia refers to pain during intercourse but not necessarily the penetration process itself. Vulvodynia is chronic vulvar pain with no identifiable cause. Vaginismus is the historical term for involuntary pelvic floor spasms during attempted penetration, but current DSM-5 terminology uses genito-pelvic pain/penetration disorder to encompass this symptom within a broader diagnostic framework.