Identifying modifiable factors associated with psychological health in women experiencing infertility.
This study assessed the relationship between modifiable psychological variables and depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic growth in women experiencing infertility. U.S. women (N = 457) who identified as experiencing infertility completed standardized self-report measures of mindfulness, self-compassion, positive affect, intolerance of uncertainty, relationship satisfaction, experiential avoidance, depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic growth. Clinical and demographic characteristics (age, duration trying to conceive, miscarriage, and childlessness) did not predict depression or anxiety. Lower positive affect and higher experiential avoidance were associated with depression and anxiety. Lower self-compassion was associated with depression; higher intolerance of uncertainty was associated with anxiety. There were indirect effects of mindfulness on anxiety and depression via these variables. Future research should explore whether intervening on these factors reduces depressive and anxiety symptoms. Promoting mindfulness may have beneficial effects on symptoms via its downstream effects on multiple coping variables. Counterintuitively, posttraumatic growth was associated with higher intolerance of uncertainty and experiential avoidance.
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- Public Health
- 5203 Clinical and health psychology
- 5201 Applied and developmental psychology
- 1702 Cognitive Sciences
- 1701 Psychology
- 1302 Curriculum and Pedagogy
Citation
Published In
DOI
EISSN
Publication Date
Volume
Issue
Start / End Page
Location
Related Subject Headings
- Public Health
- 5203 Clinical and health psychology
- 5201 Applied and developmental psychology
- 1702 Cognitive Sciences
- 1701 Psychology
- 1302 Curriculum and Pedagogy