The Effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioral Stress Management Therapy on Quality of Life in Infertile Women

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 PhD. Student of Clinical Psychology, Isfahan University, Isfahan, Iran.

2 Associate Professor, Psychology group, Isfahan University, Isfahan, Iran.

3 Professor, Psychology group, Isfahan University, Isfahan, Iran.

Abstract

Introduction:Infertility is a major negative event in life which has deleterious effects on quality of life in infertile women and men. The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral stress management (CBSM) therapy on quality of life in infertile women referring to Infertility and Gynecology Clinics in Yazd city.
 
Methods: This is a quasi experimental study with a randomized pre-test and post-test group design with control group and a one month follow-up phase. Statistical population was 214 women referred to Infertility and gynecology clinicsin Yazd city in summer 2009. 24 infertile women were selected using available sampling and randomly assigned to experiment and control groups (12 women in each group). The experiment group received CBSM therapy for 10 weekly sessions. Data were gathered by using World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL)and demographic characteristics questionnaires. Data were analyzed using SPSS-15 in two levels including descriptive statistic and analysis of covariance.
 
Results: The findings showed that mean scores of life quality were increased significantly in post-test and follow-up phases in experiment group compared to control group (p=0.000).
 
Conclusion: Results suggest that CBSM therapyis effective on improvingquality of life in infertile women. Due to reduced quality of life in infertile women and the effectiveness of mental interventions, special attention should be given to psychological treatment in this group of patients. This could cause mental health and improve quality of life in this group.

Keywords

References

1. Fiddler AT, Bernstein J. Infertility: from a personal to a public health problem. Public Health Rep  1999 
Nov­Dec;114(6):494­511.
2. Khayata GM, Rizk DE, Hasan MY, Ghazal­Aswad S, Asaad MA. Factors influencing the quality of life of
infertile women in United Arab Emirates. Int J Gynaecol Obs. 2003;80(2):183­8.
3. Mohammadi MR, Khalaj Abadi Farahani F. Emotional and  psychological problems  of infertility  and 
strategies to overcome them. J Reprod Infertil 2001;2 (4):33­9. (Full Text in Persian)
4. Trantham P. The infertile couple. Am Fam Physic 1996; 54:1001­10.
5. Berg BJ, Wilson JF, Weingrtner PJ. Psychological sequelae of infertility treatment: the role of gender and  sex role identification. Soc Sci Med. 1991; 33 (9): 1071– 80.
6. Jordan C, Revenson TA. Gender differences in coping with infertility: a meta–analysis. J Behav Med. 1999;
22(4): 341­58.
7. Monga M, Alexandrescu B, Katz SE, Stein M, Ganiats T. Impact of infertility on quality of life, marital
adjust­ment and sexual function. Urology. 2004;63(1):126­30.
8. Amanati L, Allami M, SHokrabi SH, Haghani H, Ramezanzade F. Quality of life and infeluncing factors in 
infertile women. Iran J Obstet Gynocol Infertil 2009;1(4):25­31. (Full Text in Persian)
9. Abbey A, Andrews  FM, Halman LJ. Infertility and subjective  well­ being: The mediating roles of self­ esteem, internal control and interpersonal conflict. J Marriage and Fam 1992;54, 408­17.
10. Diamond  R, Kezur D, Meyers  M, Scharf CN, Wein­shel M. Couple therapy for infertility. New York: Gilford Press; 1999: P:34.
11. Rajvir D, Ceinwen E, Cumming DC. Psychological Well­being and  coping patterns in fertile men. Fertil
Steril 2000; 74­5, 702­6.
12. Beutel M, Kuprer J, Kirchmeyer P, et al. Treatment – related stresses and depression in couples undergoing  assisted reproductive treatment by IVF or ICSI. Andrologia 1999;31:27­35.
13. Erica M,Taylor. The stress of infertility. Hum Ecol 2002;95(1):12
 
14. Cwikel J, Gidron  Y, Sheiner E. Psychological inter­actions  with infertility among women. Eur J Obstet
Gynecol Reprod Biol 2004;117(2):126­31 
15. Schneider Z, Elliot D, LoBiondo­Wood  G, Beanland  C, Haber J. Nursing research: methods,  critical
appraisal and utilization. 2nd ed. Sydney: Mosby­Elsevier; 2004: P:487.
16. Lowedermilk D, Perry S. Maternity and women`s health care. 8th ed. United States: Mosby; 2004: P:1274.
17. Kuchenhoff J. Unfulfilled desire for children: What is the grief for men? Ther Umsch. 1999; 56(5):260­4.
18. Noorbala AA, Ramezanzade F, Malekafzali Ardakani H, Abedinia N, Rahimi Foroshani A, Shariat M. The 
effect of psychiatry interventions  on marital satisfaction  in infertile  couples  in a center of investigation  healthy fertiliti. J Ir Psychiatry and Cli Psychol 2008;2:104­11. (Full Text in Persian)
19. Bresnick E, Taymor ML. The role of counseling in infertility.Fertil Stril 1979; 32(2):154­6.
20. Myers LB, Wark L. Psychotherapy for infertility: A cognitive ­ behavioral ap proach for couples. Am J 
Fam Therapy 1996;24(1):9­20.
21. Michelson LK, Marchion K. Behavioral cognitive, and pharmacological treatments of panic disorder with 
agoraphobia: Critigue and synthesis. J consult Cli psychol 1991;59:100­14.
22. Antoni M H, Ironson G, Schnneiderman, N. Cognitive­ Behavioral Stress Management. Alemohammad, SJ, Jokar S, Neshat Doost H.(Translators) 2007.31­5. In Press. (Full Text in Persian)
23. Nejat SN, Montazeri A, Holakhouei Naeini K, Mohammad  K, Majdzadeh SR. The World Health 
Organization  Quality of Life  (WHOQOL­BREF) ques­tionnaire: translation and validation study of the 
Iranian version. J Sch Public Health Inst Public Health 2007;4(4):1­12. (Full Text in Persian)
24. Drosdzol A, Skrzypulec V. Quality of life and sexual functioning of Polish infertile couples. Eur J Contra­ cept Reprod Health Care 2008;13(3):271­81.
25. Aghili M. The effectivness of cognitive behavioral stress management intervention  on quality of life in  menopausal women (Dissertation).Isfahan: university of Isfahan. 2009;78. (Text in Persian)
26. Antoni MH, Lechner SC, Kazi A, Wimberly SR, Sifre T, Urcuyo KR, et al. How stress  management
improves quality of life after treatment for breast cancer. J Consult Clin Psychol 2006;74(6):1143­52.
27. Penedo FJ, Trager L, Dahn  J, Molton  I, Schneiderman  N, Antoni MH  Cognitive  behavioral stress  management intervention  improves quality of life in Spanish monolingual hispanic men Treated for
localized prostate cancer: effects of a randomized controlled trial. Int J Behav Med 2007;14(3):164.
28. Domar AD, Clapp D, Slaw sby EA, Dusek J, kessel B, freizinger M.  Impact of group  psychological
intervention on pregnancy rates in infertile women. Fertil Steril 2000;73:805­811.
29. Terzioglu F. Investigation into effectiveness of counseling on assisted reproductive techniques in Turkey. J  of Psychosomatic Obstet and Gynecol 2001; 22:133­41.
30. Newton  CR, Hearn MT, Yuzpe AA, Houle M.  Motives for parenthood  and response to failed in vitro 
fertilization: Implication for counseling. J Assist Reprod Genet 1992;9: 24­31.
31. Bringhenti F, Martinelli F, Ardenti R, La sala G B. Psychological adjustment of infertile women entering.
IVF treatment: Differentiating aspects and influencing factor. Acta Obstet Scand 1997;70:431­7.
32. Slade P, Emery J, Liberman BA. A prospective, longitudinal study of emotions and relationships in vitro 
fertilization treatment. Hum Reprod 1997;12:183­90.
33. Eugster A, Vingerhoets AJ. Psychological aspects of Ivf. Soc Sci Med 1999;48:575­89.
34. Tarabusi M, Facchinetti FP. Psychological group  support attenuates distress of waiting in  couples
scheduled for assisted reproduction. J psychom Obstet Gynaecol 2004;25:273­9.
35. Facchinetti F, Tarabusi M.  Volpe  A. Cognitive­ behavioral treatment decrease cardiovascular and  neuroendocrin reaction to stress in  women  waiting for assisted reproduction. Psychoneuroendocrinology 
2004;29:162­73.
36. Taschen­Caffier B, Felorin  I, Krause W, Pook  M. Cognitive­behavioral therapy for idiopathic infertile  couples. Psychother and Psychosom 1999;68(1):15­21.

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics