Department of Psychology, University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada.
Arch Womens Ment Health. 2021 Feb;24(1):73-83. doi: 10.1007/s00737-020-01029-9. Epub 2020 Apr 24.
To examine the use of psychological coping strategies across the menstrual cycle in relation to within-person changes in depressed mood, anxious mood, and infertility-related distress, in a sample of women struggling to conceive. Sixty-five women from Canada and the USA (aged 19-43 years) trying to conceive naturally for ≥ 12 months were recruited via social media. On the first day of each participant's menstrual period, and every 3 days until the end of their cycle, participants completed questionnaires assessing depressed and anxious mood, and infertility-related distress. In addition, participants completed a 13-item coping questionnaire assessing four general coping strategies: emotional suppression, active coping, engagement in activities unrelated to trying to conceive, and downplaying the importance of biological children. The within-person effect of daily coping strategies on person-centred mood and infertility-related distress was examined. Day-to-day use of behavioural engagement was associated with lower person-centred depression scores, β(SEM) = - 3.25(.51), p < .0001, anxiety scores, β(SEM) = - 2.07(.36), p < .0001, and infertility-related daily distress, β(SEM) = - .64(.22), p = .005. Downplaying the importance of biological children was also associated with person-centred depression scores, β(SEM) = 1.14(.47), p = .016. Neither active coping nor emotional suppression was related to depression, anxiety, or distress (ps > .0125). These findings point to promising targets of future intervention studies, including promoting increased engagement in behaviours unrelated to conceiving and promoting acceptance, rather than denial and resistance, of feelings throughout the infertility journey.
为了考察在尝试自然受孕 12 个月以上的女性样本中，与个体内情绪变化相关的月经周期内心理应对策略的使用情况，以评估抑郁情绪、焦虑情绪和与不孕相关的困扰。通过社交媒体招募了来自加拿大和美国的 65 名 19-43 岁的女性参与者。在每位参与者月经周期的第一天，以及之后的每三天，直到周期结束，参与者都要完成评估抑郁和焦虑情绪以及与不孕相关的困扰的问卷。此外，参与者还要完成一个包含 13 个项目的应对策略问卷，评估四种一般应对策略：情绪抑制、积极应对、从事与尝试受孕无关的活动和淡化对亲生子女的重视。每天使用应对策略对以人为中心的情绪和与不孕相关的困扰的个体内影响进行了考察。日常使用行为参与与较低的以人为中心的抑郁评分相关，β（SEM）= -3.25（.51），p <.0001，焦虑评分，β（SEM）= -2.07（.36），p <.0001，以及与不孕相关的日常困扰，β（SEM）= -0.64（.22），p =.005。淡化对亲生子女的重视也与以人为中心的抑郁评分相关，β（SEM）= 1.14（.47），p =.016。积极应对和情绪抑制都与抑郁、焦虑或困扰无关（p>.0125）。这些发现为未来干预研究提供了有希望的目标，包括促进与受孕无关的行为的参与度增加，并促进对不孕旅程中情感的接受，而不是否认和抵制。
