Coping Processes of Couples Experiencing Infertility

• Published in: Family relations 2006-04, Vol.55 (2), p.227-239
• Main Authors: Peterson, Brennan D., Newton, Christopher R., Rosen, Karen H., Schulman, Robert S.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Childlessness; Coping; Coping strategies; Couples; Depression; Depression (Psychology); Depressive disorders; Emotional adjustment; Emotional defense mechanisms; Emotional Response; Emotions; Families at Risk; Family (Sociological Unit); Family relations; Family studies; Females; In vitro fertilization; Individual Differences; Infertility; infertility stress; Males; marital adjustment; Marital life; Marital Status; Marriage; Men; Mental health; Mental stress; Pregnancy; Psychological Patterns; Psychological stress; Researchers; Self Control; Spouses; Stress Management; Stress Variables; Systems Approach; Wives
• ISSN: 0197-6664; 1741-3729; 0197-6664
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1741-3729.2006.00372.x

This study explored the coping processes of couples experiencing infertility. Participants included 420 cou-ples referred for advanced reproductive treatments. Couples were divided into groups based on the frequency of their use of eight coping strategies. Findings suggest that coping processes, which are beneficial to individuals, may be problematic for one's partner. Couples where men used high amounts of distancing, while their partner used low amounts of distancing, reported higher levels of distress when compared to couples in the other groups. Conversely, couples with women who used high amounts of self-controlling coping, when paired with men who used low amounts of self-controlling coping, reported higher levels of distress. Implications of study findings are discussed, and ideas for future research are proposed.