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International Journal of Behavioral Medicine

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01-09-2012

Dyadic Goal Appraisal During Treatment for Infertility: How Do Different Perspectives Relate to Partners' Adjustment?

Authors: Elizabeth H. Thompson, Julia T. Woodward, Annette L. Stanton

Published in: International Journal of Behavioral Medicine | Issue 3/2012

Abstract

Background

Infertility often is a dyadic stressor that constitutes blockage of a major life goal.

Purpose

This study's primary aims were to examine heterosexual partners' goal appraisals during treatment for infertility and to test whether the direct effects of and interactions between partners' goal-related perceptions were associated with each partner's adjustment.

Method

Women (n = 37) receiving fertility treatment and their male partners (n = 37) completed measures of goal appraisal and psychological adjustment.

Results

Partners did not differ on ratings of the importance of the goal of parenthood, but women indicated lower perceived chance of becoming pregnant and higher perceived goal blockage than their partners. Goal appraisals were moderately correlated between partners and uncorrelated with the number of treatment procedures undergone by the couple. Women reported greater depressive symptoms, more infertility-specific thought intrusion, and lower positive states of mind than their partners. Women's appraisal of greater likelihood of becoming pregnant was psychologically protective, but greater perceived likelihood of becoming pregnant reported by their partners was associated with women's negative psychological adjustment.

Conclusion

Examining the associations between couples' goal appraisals and psychological adjustment may aid in developing targeted interventions to promote psychological adjustment to infertility. The small sample may have prevented identifying interactions between partners' goal assessment measures.

Additional analyses were conducted to assess for group differences between women with children (n = 14) and women without children (n = 23), as well as group differences between men with children (n = 13) and men without children (n = 24). Women with and without children did not differ on age, years of education, minority status, depressive symptoms, infertility-specific thought intrusion, goal importance, perceived goal blockage, or perceived chance of becoming pregnant. On average, women with children were married longer (t[33] = 2.16; p < 0.05) and reporter higher positive states of mind (t[35] = 3.12, p < .01) than women without children. Men with children did not differ from men without children on any of the demographic variables, psychological adjustment variables, or goal appraisal variables. The absence of differences on variables between groups with and without children runs counter to some previous studies; however, ability to detect group differences was limited by sample size.

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Title: Dyadic Goal Appraisal During Treatment for Infertility: How Do Different Perspectives Relate to Partners' Adjustment?
Authors: Elizabeth H. Thompson
Julia T. Woodward
Annette L. Stanton
Publication date: 01-09-2012
Publisher: Springer US
Published in: International Journal of Behavioral Medicine / Issue 3/2012
Print ISSN: 1070-5503
Electronic ISSN: 1532-7558
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12529-011-9172-7

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Dyadic Goal Appraisal During Treatment for Infertility: How Do Different Perspectives Relate to Partners' Adjustment?

Abstract

Background

Purpose

Method

Results

Conclusion

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Background

Purpose

Method

Results

Conclusion

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