Department of Psychology, University of Regina Faculty of Arts, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada.
Department of Nursing Education, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg-Braamfontein, South Africa.
BMJ Open. 2021 Nov 9;11(11):e050373. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-050373.
An estimated 30%-40% of women attending infertility tertiary care facilities experience clinically significant depression and anxiety. However, current psychological interventions for infertility are only modestly effective in this population. In this study, we aimed to identify the specific psychological components of infertility-related distress to assist in the development of a more targeted and effective therapeutic intervention. To our knowledge, this study is the first of its kind to include the views and opinions of mental health professionals who specialise in the field of infertility and the first to explore therapies currently used by mental health professionals.
A qualitative approach using semistructured individual interviews and focus group interviews with women who have experience with infertility and also mental health professionals specialising in the field of infertility. Thematic analysis was used to identify patterns and themes emerging from the data.
Twenty-one women (aged 25-41 years) struggling to conceive for ≥12 months and 14 mental health professionals participated in semistructured interviews about the psychological challenges related to infertility.
Five themes, each divided into subthemes, emerged from the data and these were developed into a model of infertility-related distress. These five themes are: (1) anxiety, (2) mood disturbance, (3) threat to self-esteem, identity and purpose, (4) deterioration of the couple and (5) weakened support network. In addition, therapeutic techniques used by mental health professionals were identified.
The results of this study suggest specific clinical targets that future interventions treating infertility-related distress should address.
据估计，在前往不孕症三级保健机构就诊的女性中，有 30%-40%经历过临床显著的抑郁和焦虑。然而，目前针对不孕症的心理干预措施在这一人群中的效果仅略有改善。在这项研究中，我们旨在确定与不孕症相关的困扰的特定心理因素，以帮助开发更有针对性和更有效的治疗干预措施。据我们所知，这项研究是同类研究中首次纳入专门从事不孕症领域的心理健康专业人员的观点和意见，也是首次探讨心理健康专业人员目前使用的疗法。
采用半结构式个体访谈和焦点小组访谈的定性方法，对经历过不孕症且专门从事不孕症领域的心理健康专业人员的女性进行研究。使用主题分析来识别数据中出现的模式和主题。
21 名（年龄 25-41 岁）因不孕而苦苦挣扎超过 12 个月的女性和 14 名专门从事不孕症领域的心理健康专业人员参加了关于与不孕症相关的心理挑战的半结构式访谈。
从数据中得出了五个主题，每个主题又分为子主题，并将其发展成为一个与不孕症相关的困扰模型。这五个主题是：（1）焦虑，（2）情绪紊乱，（3）自尊心、身份和目标受到威胁，（4）夫妻关系恶化，（5）支持网络减弱。此外，还确定了心理健康专业人员使用的治疗技术。
这项研究的结果表明，未来治疗与不孕症相关的困扰的干预措施应针对具体的临床目标。
