The relation between couple’s infertility distress with their partner's attachment and coping styles

Context: One of the potential risk factors for marital problems in infertile couples is the difference in couple’s attachment and coping style to the infertility problems. Aim: We amide to investigate the relation between couple’s infertility distress with their partner's attachment and coping styles. Setting and Design: This observational-cross-sectional study was done on infertile couples that referred to the infertility center of Imam Khomeini hospital in Sari, Iran, 2016–2017. Materials and Methods: Data were collected using convenient sampling method from 120 infertile couples through sociodemographic questionnaire, Lazarus-Folkman coping strategy questionnaire, Collins and Read attachment strategy questionnaire (RAAS), and infertility-specific distress questionnaire (ISD). Statistical Analysis: Descriptive statistics that were used include frequency, means, and standard division and analytical statistics include one-way ANOVA, Independent sample T test, Chi-Square Test and Pearson Correlation Coefficient test were used. Results: The mean ISD score was obtained by husbands 42.50 ± 9.5, wives 42.55 ± 9.7 and couples 42.53±9.63. One-Way ANOVA test showed that the wives' infertility distress was correlated with their partners attachment style (p=0.004) while husbands' infertility distress wasn't correlated with their partners attachment style (p=0.485). Also, based on Pearson Correlation Coefficient test there is no correlation between the couple's infertility distress and their partner's coping strategy. Conclusions: The relationship of couples and their adjustment to infertility is influenced by their partner's attachment style and coping style. Therefore, identification of these patterns may help in identifying need and tailoring psychological interventions to infertile couples.