Understanding depression and anxiety symptoms in women with Mayer-Rokitansky‑Küster‑Hauser syndrome (MRKH): Exploring the influence of shame and psychological flexibility

Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser syndrome (MRKH) is a congenital condition warranting a biopsychosocial perspective and a multidisciplinary approach in research and clinical settings. Previous studies on psychopathological symptoms in women with MRKH have reported mixed results. This study aimed to (1) compare depressive and anxiety symptoms in women with MRKH with published summary statistics from a non-clinical sample, (2) compare chronic illness-related shame in women with MRKH with published statistics from samples with other chronic illnesses, (3) examine differences between women who had and had not completed medical treatment on the study variable, and (4) explore chronic illness-related shame, self-compassion, and psychological flexibility as predictors of depressive and anxiety symptoms. Eighty-one women with a self-reported MRKH diagnosis were recruited through patients' associations and completed online self-report measures assessing depressive and anxiety symptoms, chronic illness-related shame, self-compassion, and psychological flexibility. Women with MRKH revealed higher depression, anxiety, and chronic illness-related shame than reference samples. Participants who had previously undergone medical treatment showed lower levels of depression and anxiety. Chronic illness-related shame predicted both depressive and anxiety symptoms, while psychological flexibility predicted anxiety symptoms specifically. This study emphasizes the relevance of targeting chronic illness-related shame and psychological flexibility when designing psychological interventions for these women.