Association Between Coping Strategies and Infertility Stress Among a Group of Women with Fertility Problem in Shiraz, Iran

Overview

Journal J Reprod Infertil

Specialty Reproductive Medicine

Date 2014 Feb 20

PMID 24551575

Citations 8

Authors

Abdulaziz Aflakseir

Masoumeh Zarei

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Studies have shown that individuals with fertility problems experience psychosocial problems. The use of various coping strategies seems to have different impacts on women with infertility stress. The aim of this study was to examine the role of coping strategies (active-avoidance, passive-avoidance, active confronting and meaning based) in predicting infertility stress among a group of women seeking infertility treatment in Shiraz.

Methods: One hundred twenty infertile women were recruited from several infertility clinics in Shiraz using convenience sampling method. The participants completed research measures including the Infertility Problem Stress Inventory and the Ways of Coping Scale (passive-avoidance, active-avoidance, active-confronting, meaning-based). Multiple regression analysis was used for data analysis. A p-value less than 0.05 was considered as statistically significant.

Results: The findings showed that participants had the highest scores on passive-avoidance coping strategies followed by meaning-based coping, active-confronting coping and active-avoidance coping. The findings also indicated that women who utilized more active-avoidance coping strategies reported less infertility stress. Furthermore, the results of regression analysis demonstrated that two coping strategies including active-avoidance (β=0.35, p<0.001) and meaning-based coping (β=-0.50, p<0.001) predicted infertility stress significantly. Moreover, meaning-based coping strategy was the strongest predictor of low infertility stress.

Conclusion: The present study showed that the majority of infertile women used passive-avoidance coping strategy. Furthermore, those who perceived their infertility problem as meaningful had a low infertility stress, while those who used active-avoidance coping strategies had high infertility stress.

Citing Articles

Women living with infertility in Iran: A qualitative content analysis of perception of dignity.

Mohammadi F, Javanmardifard S, Bijani M Womens Health (Lond). 2024; 20:17455057241260027.

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The value of motherhood and psychological distress among infertile women: The mediating role of coping strategies.

Foti F, Karner-Hutuleac A, Maftei A Front Public Health. 2023; 11:1024438.

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Development and evaluation of couple-based coping strategies with infertility: a protocol for a mixed-methods study.

Reisi M, Kazemi A, Abedi M Trials. 2022; 23(1):844.

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Relationship between coping/attachment styles and infertility-specific distress in Iranian infertile individuals: A cross-sectional study.

Elyasi F, Islami Parkoohi P, Naseri M, Gelekolaee K, Hamedi M, Peyvandi S Int J Reprod Biomed. 2021; 19(4):347-360.

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Relation of Religious Coping and Depression Levels in Infertile Women.

Honarvar N, Taghavi M Iran J Psychiatry. 2020; 15(2):134-142.

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