| Title | Emotional distress and infertility: a review of coping strategies | |
| Authors | Anna Deltsidou¹ and Katerina Lykeridou²
1. Nursing Department, High Technological Educational Institution of Lamia, Lamia, Greece 2. Midwifery Department, Technological Educational Institution, Athens, Greece |
|
| Citation | Deltsidou, A., Lykeridou, K..: Emotional distress and infertility: a review of coping strategies, Epitheorese Klin. Farmakol. Farmakokinet. 21(3): 285-291 (2007) | |
| Publication Date | Accepted for publication (Final version): September 10, 2007 | |
| Full Text Language | English | |
| Order – Buy | Ηλεκτρονική Μορφή: pdf (10 €) – Digital Type: pdf (10 €)
pharmakonpress[at]pharmakonpress[.]gr |
|
| Keywords | Adaptation, psychological distress, emotions, health status, coping strategies, psychometrics, stress, psychological impact, distress and infertility. | |
| Other Terms | review article | |
| Summary | The prevalence of infertility in industrialized countries is estimated about 16-26% in populations of women who have tried to have children. Infertility and its therapy have been described as a very stressful event and a number of studies have investigated the association between coping and adjustment to infertility. These studies are often guided by the stress and coping theoretical framework and supply a critical count to the infertility literature foundation. The most common theoretical framework used is Lazarus and Folkman’s theory according which stress happens as a person perceives events in his environment that go over his resources and put in danger his health. Encounters with stressful situations are usually come with coping strategies, which can be defined as cognitive and behavioral efforts to cope particular external and/or internal strain associated with the stressor one perceives. Another coping theoretical framework used is the family system theory of Ludwig von Bertalanffy because infertility is considered to be a joint problem among the members of a couple and thus, this situation is well fitted to be studied applying a family system approach. Some scholars have focused on the relationship between socio-economic situation and coping and in these studies has been demonstrated that people from higher socio-economic classes used more active problem-solving ways of coping and less avoidant coping and other researchers predicted high fertility problem stress among both men and women difficulties in partner communication. Findings, also, from the studies examining gender differences in coping with infertility, showed that men and women differ considerably on three of the eight coping strategies – seeking social support, escape/avoidance, and positive reappraisal and that women used these coping strategies more than men and they attribute this to men’s embarrassment or unfamiliarity with discussing their problem with others. In conclusion, findings from these studies help paint a more complete image of the multifaceted association that exists between infertility and distress. | |
| References | 1. Schmidt L., Holstein B.E., Boivin J., et al.: High ratings of satisfaction with fertility treatment are common: findings from the Copenhagen Multi-centre Psychosocial Infertility (COMPI) Research Programme. Hum. Reprod. 18: 2638-2646 (2003)
2. Nygren K.G., Andersen A.N.: Assisted reproductive technology in Europe, 1998. Results generated from European registers by ESHRE. European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology. Hum. Reprod. 16: 2459-2471 (2001) 3. Nygren K.G., Andersen A.N.: Assisted reproductive technology in Europe, 1999. Results generated from European registers by ESHRE. Hum. Reprod. 17: 3260- 3274 (2002) 4. Schmidt L., Holstein B.E., Boivin J., et al.: Patients’ attitudes to medical and psychosocial aspects of care in fertility clinics: findings from the Copenhagen Multi-centre Psychosocial Infertility (COMPI) Research Programme. Hum. Reprod. 18: 628-637 (2003) 5. Lee T.Y., Chu T.Y.: The Chinese experience of male infertility. West. J. Nurs. Res. 23: 714-725 (2001) 6. Oddens B.J., den Tonkelaar I., Nieuwenhuyse H.: Psychosocial experiences in women facing fertility problems–a comparative survey. Hum. Reprod. 14: 255-261 (1999) 7. Matsubayashi H., Hosaka T., Izumi S., Suzuki T., Kondo A., Makino T.: Increased depression and anxiety in infertile Japanese women resulting from lack of husband’s support and feelings of stress. Gen. Hosp. Psychiatry 26: 398-404 (2004) 8. McGrath E., Keita G., Strickland B., et al.: Women and Depression: risk factors and treatment issues. Washing- ton, DC: American Psychological Association, 1990 9. Boivin J., Scanlan L.C., Walker S.M.: Why are infertile patients not using psychosocial counselling? Hum. Reprod. 14: 1384-1391 (1999) 10. Mazure C.M., Greenfeld D.A.: Psychological studies of in vitro fertilization/embryo transfer participants. J. In Vitro Fert. Embryo Transf. 6: 242-256 (1989) 11. Read J.: ABC of sexual health: sexual problems associated with infertility, pregnancy, and ageing. BMJ 318(7183): 587-589 (1999) 12. Sundby J., Olsen A., Schei B.: Quality of care for infertility patients. An evaluation of a plan for a hospital investigation. Scand. J. Soc. Med. 22: 139-144 (1994) 13. Abbey A., Andrews F.M., Halman L.J.: Provision and receipt of social support and disregard: what is their impact on the marital life quality of infertile and fertile couples? J. Pers. Soc. Psychol. 68: 455-469 (1995) 14. Greil A.L.: Infertility and psychological distress: a critical review of the literature. Soc. Sci. Med. 45: 1679- 1704 (1997) 15. Andrews F.M., Abbey A., Halman L.J.: Stress from infertility, marriage factors, and subjective well-being of wives and husbands. J. Health Soc. Behav. 32: 238-253 (1991) 16. Berg B.J., Wilson J.F.: Psychological functioning across stages of treatment for infertility. J. Behav. Med. 14: 11-26 (1991) 17. Van Zyl J.A.: Sex and infertility, part II: Influence of psychogenic factors and psychosexual problems. S. Afr. Med. J. 72: 485-487 (1987) 18. Schmidt L., Holstein B., Christensen U., Boivin J.: Does infertility cause marital benefit? An epidemiological study of 2250 women and men in fertility treatment. Patient Educ. Couns. 59: 244-251 (2005) 19. Covington S., and Burns L. (eds).: Infertility Counsel- ling, 2nd ed.: Cambridge University Press, 2006 20. Nasseri M.: Cultural similarities in psychological reactions to infertility. Psychol. Rep. 86: 375-378 (2000) 21. Kee B.S., Jung B.J., Lee S.H.: A study on psychological strain in IVF patients. J. Assist. Reprod. Genet. 17: 445-448 (2000) 22. Matsubayashi H., Hosaka T., Izumi S., Suzuki T., Makino T.: Emotional distress of infertile women in Japan. Hum. Reprod. 16: 966-969 (2001) 23. Newton C.R., Sherrard W., Glavac I.: The Fertility Problem Inventory: measuring perceived infertility-related stress. Fertil. Steril. 72: 54-62 (1999) 24. Wright J., Duchesne C., Sabourin S., Bissonnette F., Benoit J., Girard Y.: Psychosocial distress and infertility: men and women respond differently. Fertil. Steril. 55:100- 108 (1991) 25. Lee T.Y., Sun G.H., Chao S.C.: The effect of an infertility diagnosis on treatment-related stresses. Arch. Androl. 46: 67-71 (2001) 26. Lazarus R.S. and Folkman S.: Stress, appraisal, and coping. New York: Springer, 1984 27. Stanton A.L., Tennen H., Affleck G., Mendola R.: Cognitive appraisal and adjustment to infertility. Women Health 17: 1-15 (1991) 28. Stanton A.L., Tennen H., Affleck G., Mendola R.: Coping and adjustment to infertility. J. Soc. Clin. Psychol. 11: 1-13 (1992) 29. Levin J.B., Sher T.G., Theodos V.: The effect of intracouple coping concordance on psychological and marital distress in infertility patients. J. Clin. Psychol. Med. Set. 4: 361-372 (1997) 30. Folkman S.: Positive psychological states and coping with severe stress. Soc. Sci. Med. 45: 1207-1221 (1997) 31. Bertalanffy L.V. (ed.): General system theory in psychology and psychiatry. (General System Theory (Rev Ed.), New York: George Braziller, 1968 32. Nichols M.P., Schwartz R.C.: Family therapy: Concepts and methods. Allyn & Bacon, Massachusetts, 1998 33. Daniluk J.C.: Infertility: intrapersonal and interpersonal impact. Fertil. Steril. 49: 982-990 (1988) 34. Ulbrich P.M., Coyle A.T., Llabre M.M.: Involuntary childlessness and marital adjustment: his and hers. J. Sex. Marital Ther. 16: 147-158 (1990) 35. Peterson B.D., Newton C.R., Rosen K.H., Skaggs G.E.: Gender differences in how men and women who are referred for IVF cope with infertility stress. Hum. Reprod. 21: 2443-2449 (2006) 36. Beaurepaire J., Jones M., Thiering P., Saunders D., Tennant C.: Psychosocial adjustment to infertility and its treatment: male and female responses at different stages of IVF/ET treatment. J. Psychosom. Res. 38: 229-240 (1994) 37. Caplan G. (ed.): Principles of Preventive Psychiatry. Basic Books, New York, USA, 1964 38. Lalos A., Lalos O., Jacobsson L., et al.: Depression, guilt and isolation among infertile women and their men. J. Psychosom. Obstet. Gynaecol. 5: 197-206 (1986) 39. Lalos A.: Breaking bad news concerning fertility. Hum. Reprod. 14: 581-585 (1999) 40. Taylor S.E., Seeman TE.: Psychosocial resources and the SES-health relationship. Ann. N Y Acad. Sci. 896: 210-225 (1999) 41. Westbrook M.T.: Socioeconomic differences in coping with childbearing. Am. J. Community Psychol. 7: 397- 412 (1979) 42. Billings A.G., Moos R.H.: Coping, stress, and social resources among adults with unipolar depression. J. Pers. Soc. Psychol. 46: 877-891 (1984) 43. Ross C.E., Mirowsky J.: Explaining the social patterns of depression: control and problem solving or sup- port and talking? J. Health Soc. Behav. 30: 206-219 (1989) 44. Grossi G.; Coping and emotional distress in a sample of Swedish unemployed. Scand. J. Psychol. 40: 157-165 (1999) 45. Schmidt L., Christensen U., Holstein B.E.: The social epidemiology of coping with infertility. Hum. Reprod. 20: 1044-1052 (2005) 46. Schmidt L., Holstein B.E., Christensen U., Boivin J.: Communication and coping as predictors of fertility problem stress: cohort study of 816 participants who did not achieve a delivery after 12 months of fertility treatment. Hum. Reprod. 20: 3248-3256 (2005) 47. Daniluk J.C.: Reconstructing their lives: A longitudinal, qualitative analysis of the transition to biological childlessness for infertile people. J. Couns. Dev. 79: 439- 449 (2001) 48. Litt M.D., Tennen H., Affleck G., Klock S.: Coping and cognitive factors in adaptation to in vitro fertilization failure. J. Behav. Med. 15: 171-187 (1992) 49. Berghuis J.P., Stanton A.L.: Adjustment to a dyadic stressor: a longitudinal study of coping and depressive symptoms in infertile couples over an insemination at- tempt. J. Consult. Clin. Psychol. 70: 433-438 (2002) 50. Terry D.J., and Hynes G.J.: Adjustment to a low-control situation: reexamining the role of coping responses. J. Pers. Soc. Psychol. 74: 1078-1092 (1998) 51. Jordan C., Revenson T.A.: Gender differences in coping with infertility: a meta-analysis. J. Behav. Med. 22: 341-358 (1999). 52. Aldwin C.M., Revenson T.A.: Does coping help? A reexamination of the relation between coping and mental health. J. Pers. Soc. Psychol. 53: 337-348 (1987). 53. Draye M.A., Woods N.F., Mitchell E.: Coping with infertility in couples: gender differences. Health Care Women Int. 9: 163-175 (1988) 54. Morrow K.A., Thoreson R.W., Penney L.L.: Predictors of psychological distress among infertility clinic patients. J. Consult. Clin. Psychol. 63: 163-167 (1995) 55. Prattke T.W., Gass-Sternas K.A.: Appraisal, coping, and emotional health of infertile couples undergoing donor artificial insemination. J. Obstet. Gynecol. Neonatal. Nurs. 22: 516-527 (1993) 56. Mahlstedt P.P.: The psychological component of infertility. Fertil. Steril. 43: 335-346 (1985) 57. Schmidt L.: Infertility and assisted reproduction in Denmark. Epidemiology and psychosocial consequences. Dan. Med. Bull. 53: 390-417 (2006) |
|
| Relative Papers |
Online ISSN 1011-6575
Άρθρα Δημοσιευμένα σε αυτό το Περιοδικό Καταχωρούνται στα:
- Chemical Abstracts
- Elsevier’s Bibliographic Databases: Scopus, EMBASE, EMBiology, Elsevier BIOBASE SCImago Journal and Country Rank Factor
Articles published in this Journal are Indexed or Abstracted in: • Chemical Abstracts • Elsevier’s Bibliographic Databases: Scopus, EMBASE, EMBiology, Elsevier BIOBASE SCImago Journal and Country Rank Factor
Συντακτικη Επιτροπή-Editorial Board
| ΕΤΗΣΙΑ ΣΥΝΔΡΟΜΗ 2007 – ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION 2007 | |
| Γλώσσα Πλήρους Κειμένου – Full Text Language | Αγγλικά – English |
| Παραγγελία – Αγορά – Order – Buy | Ηλεκτρονική Μορφή: pdf (70 €) – Digital Type: pdf (70 €)
pharmakonpress[at]pharmakonpress[.]gr |
| Έντυπη Μορφή (70 € + έξοδα αποστολής) – Printed Type (70 € + shipping)
pharmakonpress[at]pharmakonpress[.]gr |
|