From Vaginismus to Genito-Pelvic Pain/Penetration Disorder: A Bibliometric and Thematic Analysis of the Literature

Abstract

The reclassification of vaginismus under genito-pelvic pain/penetration ­disorder (GPPPD) in the DSM-5 has reshaped the conceptual framework of female sexual pain disorders, introducing both integration and terminological heterogeneity. This study provides a comprehensive bibliometric and thematic analysis of the vaginismus/GPPPD literature, mapping conceptual, clinical, and disciplinary shifts over time. A bibliometric analysis was conducted using the Web of Science Core Collection (1994–2026). After screening and deduplication, 655 articles and reviews were analyzed using Python-based tools for descriptive bibliometrics, network analysis (coauthorship, co-citation, keyword cooccurrence), and text mining (TF-IDF and nonnegative matrix factorization). Publication output was descriptively higher after the DSM-5 transition: 220 records were identified for the pre-DSM-5 period (1994–2012), whereas 435 records were identified from 2013 onward, with the mean annual publication count increasing from 11.58 to 31.07 publications per year. The literature evolved from a predominantly psychosexual framework toward pain-focused, multidisciplinary, and biopsychosocial models incorporating pelvic floor dysfunction, women’s health, and sociocultural context. Despite diagnostic changes, the term vaginismus remained highly prevalent. Psychosocial assessment persisted as a central domain, while multidisciplinary and rehabilitation-oriented approaches gained prominence. Overall, the field reflects conceptual expansion rather than replacement, underscoring the need for greater terminological clarity and interdisciplinary collaboration.