Alexithymia and Psychological Distress Among Women Undergoing in Vitro Fertilization

Vukelić, Dunja Jurić; Kušević, Zorana; Horvatić, Jasminka

doi:10.24869/psyd.2019.473

Cited by 4 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 24 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Therefore, it seems important to specify the substantial need for intra-couple studies in addition to inter-couple studies. The investigation of the association between alexithymia and other psychological dimensions or symptoms showed positive relations between alexithymia and anxiety [ 46 , 47 ], depression, physical problems [ 47 ], emotional maladjustment to infertility [ 48 ], and maladaptive coping strategies and stress [ 41 ]. Furthermore, alexithymia was a significant predictor of infertility-related stress [ 49 , 50 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assisted Reproductive Treatments, Quality of Life, and Alexithymia in Couples

Renzi

Fedele²,

Trani

2023

Healthcare

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Infertility and related treatments can negatively affect a couple’s wellbeing. The aim of this study was to evaluate couples starting assisted reproductive treatment, differences in alexithymia and quality of life levels between partners, and the association of these psychological dimensions within the couple’s members. Data was collected in two fertility centres in Rome; 47 couples completed the Fertility Quality of Life (FertiQoL), the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), and a socio-demographic questionnaire. Data analysis showed a worsened quality of life in women compared with their partners, as well as higher externally oriented thinking in men compared with their spouses. Associations between alexithymia and quality of life levels between women and men emerged. According to the regression analysis, a better quality of life in women was predicted by a greater partner’s capabilities in identifying and describing emotion as well as by a better partner’s quality of life, whereas for men, a better quality of life was predicted by their spouse’s higher levels of quality of life. This study highlights the protective role that couples can play in the perception of the negative impact that infertility can have on their partner’s quality of life. Further investigations are needed for the development of specific therapeutic interventions for the promotion of the couples’ wellbeing.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assisted Reproductive Treatments, Quality of Life, and Alexithymia in Couples

Renzi

Fedele²,

Trani

2023

Healthcare

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…A great body of literature has been published about alexithymia, stress somatization and psychosomatic phenomena (i.e eating disorders, dermatologic diseases). Correspondingly, alexithymia can also be seen as a trend to struggle with psychological stress in the form of somatic symptoms ( 12 ). There are strong conjectures relating significantly high levels of alexithymia with diabetes type 1 and type 2 ( 13 )], skin diseases (psoriasis) ( 14 - 16 ), caffeine consumption ( 17 ) as well as eating disorders ( 18 - 20 ) and infertility.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Alexithymia, Stress and Depression in Infertile Women: a Case Control Study

Gourounti

Maria

2021

Mater Sociomed

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background: Alexithymia and stress are two main psychological factors which affect not only fertility, but also the outcome of assisted reproductive technology treatment. Objective: The primary aim of this study was to compare the levels of alexithymia and stress between infertile women undergoing assisted reproductive treatment and women with no fertility issues. The present study aims to: (i) explore the relation between alexithymia and infertility, (ii) investigate whether women with infertility problems show elevated levels of alexithymia compared to women with no fertility problems, and (iii) compare stress levels between women undergoing assisted reproductive technology treatment and women with no fertility problems. Methods: A case control trial was conducted. In total, data from 177 women were collected. The control group consisted of 102 women with no fertility problems, whilst the study group included 75 women undergoing assisted reproductive program. In order to measure the levels of alexithymia and the fertility-related stress among women in both groups and compare the results, validated questionnaires were distributed to every participant. Self-report instruments were used to measure alexithymia (TAS-20), fertility-related stress (FPI), depressive symptomatology (CES-D) and anxiety (STAI). Univariate and bivariate statistical analyses were used. Results: The mean values of alexithymia, anxiety and depressive symptomatology were higher in women with lower educational background and not within a marriage than in women with higher education and within marriage. Additionally, infertile women had similar levels of alexithymia, anxiety and depressive symptomatology compared to women with no fertility problems. Conclusion: Results from the present study suggest that infertile women show similar levels of alexithymia and stress in comparison to women who have not been confronted with fertility problems. Our study findings are in accordance with many previous published studies that have concluded that alexithymia rates are similar between group of patients and group of healthy individuals. However, future studies should aim to investigate the prevalence of alexithymia in infertile women with idiopathic and non-idiopathic infertility as well as to assess the levels of alexithymia in infertile women that are not in a fertility treatment.

show abstract

“…Men are more likely to suppress painful and negative emotions, defending themselves from depression and depression-like symptoms ( Conrad et al, 2001 ). On the other hand, alexithymia measured on infertile women undergoing in-vitro treatments was associated with maladaptive coping strategies and psychological stress ( Gourounti et al, 2016 ) further considered as a risk factor for symptoms of anxiety, depression, psychological distress ( Juriü Vukeliü et al, 2019 ), and reduced quality of life ( Renzi et al, 2020a , 2020b ). Moreover, alexithymia also results as predictive of greater body checking and body dissatisfaction as compared to non-alexithymic women ( De Berardis et al, 2007 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Couples undergoing Assisted Reproductive Techniques: An Actor-Partner Interdependence Model of dyadic adjustment, attachment, and body-image avoidance

Salcuni

Mancinelli

Muneratti

et al. 2021

Health Psychology Open

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The aim is to assess the commonalities and interdependence referred to body-image avoidance among 118 couples newly introduced to first-level assisted reproductive techniques. Results showed non-clinical functioning levels, and partners showed a correlated, yet low, dyadic adjustment. The couple-effect was modeled through an Actor Partner Interdependence Model. For both partners, dyadic adjustment’s actor-effect associates with body-image avoidance. Moreover, psychological symptoms’ actor-effect associate to body-image avoidance, resulting significantly more influential than the partner-effect. Only for males, alexithymia’s actor-effect was significant. To conclude, partners’ functioning is quite specular yet not interdependent, as they do not show a couple-as-a-unit modality of functioning. Clinical implications are discussed.

show abstract

Alexithymia and Psychological Distress Among Women Undergoing in Vitro Fertilization

Cited by 4 publications

References 24 publications

Assisted Reproductive Treatments, Quality of Life, and Alexithymia in Couples

Assisted Reproductive Treatments, Quality of Life, and Alexithymia in Couples

Alexithymia, Stress and Depression in Infertile Women: a Case Control Study

Couples undergoing Assisted Reproductive Techniques: An Actor-Partner Interdependence Model of dyadic adjustment, attachment, and body-image avoidance

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About