The Role of Dyadic Coping on the Marital and Emotional Adjustment of Couples With Infertility

• Author: Mariana Moura‐Ramos,Catarina Chaves,Maria Cristina Canavarro
• Published date: 01 June 2019
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1111/famp.12364
• Date: 01 June 2019

The Role of Dyadic Coping on the Marital and

Emotional Adjustment of Couples With Infertility

CATARINA CHAVES*

MARIA CRISTINA CANAVARRO

†

MARIANA MOURA-RAMOS

‡

Infertility is a challenging experience, affecting individual and couples’ adjustment.

However, the way the members of the couple support each other may affect the experience of

infertility and their adjustment. This study aimed to investigate the role of dyadic coping

by oneself and by the partner in the association between the impact of infertility and dyadic

and emotional adjustment (anxiety and depression) to infertility. In this cross-sectional

study, a total of 134 participants (67 couples with infertility) completed self-report ques-

tionnaires assessing infertility-related stress, dyadic coping, dyadic adjustment, and

depression and anxiety symptoms. A path analysis examined the direct and indirect effects

between the impact of infertility in one’s life and dyadic and emotional adjustment. There

is an indirect effect of the impact of infertility in one’s life on dyadic adjustment through

men’s perceived dyadic coping efforts employed by the self (dyadic coping by oneself) and

women’s perceived dyadic coping efforts of the partner (dyadic coping by the partner).

Regarding the emotional adjustment of infertile couples, infertility stress impact had an

indirect effect only on depressive symptoms through men’s dyadic coping by oneself. The

results highlight the importance of men’s dyadic coping strategies for the marital adjust-

ment of couples as well as for men’s emotional adjustment. Findings emphasize the impor-

tance of involving men in the fertility treatment process, reinforcing the dyadic nature of

infertility processes.

Keywords: Dyadic Coping; Infertility; Emotional Adjustment; Marital Adjustment

Fam Proc 58:509–523, 2019

Infertility is an unexpected life event that may threaten the well-being of individuals

and couples. Although previous research has shown that most couples are able to man-

age the stressful demands of infertility and its treatment (Verhaak et al., 2007), several

studies have documented emotional difficulties, such as anxiety and depression, in infer-

tile women (Nelson, Shindel, Naughton, Ohebshalom, & Mulhall, 2008; Verhaak, Smeenk,

*Department of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.

†

Department of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.

‡

Reproductive Medicine Unit of Centro Hospitalar e Universit

ario de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.

Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Mariana Moura-Ramos, Reproductive

Medicine Unit, Centro Hospitalar e Universit

ario de Coimbra, Praceta Prof. Doutor Mota Pinto, 3000-075

Coimbra, Portugal. E-mail: marianamr@fpce.uc.pt

This study was developed within the Relationships, Development & Health Research Group of the R&D

Unit Cognitive-Behavioral Center for Research and Intervention (PEst-OE/PSI/UI0730/2014). Mariana

Moura-Ramos was supported by a postdoctoral grant by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Tech-

nology (SFRH/BPD/87514/2012). We thank the Servic

ßo de Medicina da Reproduc

ß

~

ao do Centro Hospitalar e

Universit

ario de Coimbra for their collaboration in recruiting participants for the study. We thank all cou-

ples for their participation in this study.

509

Family Process, Vol. 58, No. 2, 2019 ©2018 Family Process Institute

doi: 10.1111/famp.12364