Department of Human and Social Science, University of Bergamo, Bergamo, Italy.
Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Hospital Papa Giovanni XXIII, Bergamo, Italy.
Arch Womens Ment Health. 2018 Feb;21(1):1-13. doi: 10.1007/s00737-017-0779-9. Epub 2017 Sep 21.
Endometriosis is a disabling and long-term medical condition affecting quality of life and mental health. Behavioral, cognitive, and emotional coping strategies, emotional intelligence, and metacognition could in part explain the link between the disease and impaired psychological and life functioning. This critical narrative review aimed at examining the state of the art of the relationships between endometriosis and these factors. According to PRISMA principles, we performed a systematic search for quantitative and qualitative studies on multiple electronic databases as regards coping strategies, emotional intelligence, and metacognition in women with endometriosis. Studies were subjected to interpretative and critical narrative synthesis. A total of 9 papers were included in the review. Three main categories were identified in thematic analysis and resumed in the manuscript. Findings suggested that (a) pain is considered the major stressor; (b) they usually use both adaptive and maladaptive coping strategies; (c) women with endometriosis and related chronic pain seem to repress emotions more likely than healthy ones; (d) suppressing own emotions, pain catastrophizing, and having a passive coping style are related to higher self-reported pain; and (e) emotional and avoidance coping styles are associated to poor mental status, while positive coping strategies focusing on the problem or on emotions, detached and rational styles are associated to better mental health. Few studies with mixed results and some methodological flaws have focused on coping strategies in women with endometriosis. No studies focusing on metacognition or emotional intelligence were found. Methodological biases, suggestions for future research, and implications for clinical practice were discussed.
子宫内膜异位症是一种使人丧失能力且长期存在的疾病，会影响生活质量和心理健康。行为、认知和情绪应对策略、情绪智力和元认知在一定程度上可以解释疾病与心理和生活功能受损之间的联系。本批判性叙述性综述旨在检查子宫内膜异位症与这些因素之间关系的最新研究进展。根据 PRISMA 原则，我们对多个电子数据库中关于子宫内膜异位症患者的应对策略、情绪智力和元认知的定量和定性研究进行了系统搜索。研究采用解释性和批判性叙述性综合方法进行分析。综述共纳入 9 篇论文。在主题分析中确定了三个主要类别，并在本文中进行了总结。研究结果表明：(a)疼痛被认为是主要的应激源；(b)她们通常使用适应性和不适应性应对策略；(c)患有子宫内膜异位症和相关慢性疼痛的女性似乎比健康女性更容易压抑情绪；(d)抑制自己的情绪、对疼痛的灾难化思维和采用被动应对方式与更高的自我报告疼痛有关；(e)情绪和回避应对方式与较差的心理健康状况有关，而专注于问题或情绪的积极应对方式、超脱和理性的应对方式与更好的心理健康状况有关。一些研究结果存在混合且存在一些方法学缺陷，重点关注了子宫内膜异位症女性的应对策略。没有发现专门研究元认知或情绪智力的研究。本文讨论了方法学偏见、对未来研究的建议以及对临床实践的影响。
