Dual mediating effects of social support and fertility stress on mindfulness and fertility quality of life in infertile men: A case-control study

Abstract

BackgroundInfertility is one of the three major public health problems in the world, bringing immense physical and psychological damage to men and affecting the quality of men’s fertility life. Thus, the purpose of this study was to analyze the status of social support, fertility stress, mindfulness, and fertility quality of life in infertile men, and to explore the dual mediating effects of social support and fertility stress on mindfulness and fertility quality.MethodsA case–control group study was conducted, with 246 men in the case group and 149 in the control group. The Social Support Scale, Fertility Stress Scale, Mindfulness Scale, and Fertility Quality of Life Scale were used to establish a structural equation model using Mplus 8.3 to explore social support and fertility stress. Pathway relationships were drawn between mindfulness and fertility quality of life in infertile men.ResultsThere were significant differences between infertile and healthy men in each dimension of the core module of fertility quality of life, in the total score of the treatment module, in the total score of social support, in subjective and objective support, and in the total score of fertility stress, social pressure, sexual pressure, marital relationship, and childless pressure (p < 0.05 in each case). Further, the fertility quality of life in infertile men was positively correlated with mindfulness and social support, and negatively correlated with fertility stress (p < 0.05); mindfulness could directly affect the core and treatment modules of fertility life quality, and indirectly affect the core of fertility life quality through social support (mediation effect accounted for 19.0%), while the treatment module (mediation effect accounted for 13.7%), and the core module indirectly affected fertility life quality through fertility stress (mediation effect accounted for 16.8%).ConclusionThe fertility quality of life of infertile men is not optimistic. Mindfulness-related interventions and programs can improve their fertility quality of life.

The effect of job stress on the quality of life of commercial pilots: Testing the mediating effects of mindfulness and job satisfaction

“…Job stress was also found to have a negative effect on quality of life and partially negative effects on job satisfaction. These results indicate that job stress not only decreases job satisfaction but also lowers the quality of life, supporting previous studies that have shown various negative effects of job stress (Abulizi et al, 2023;Kong et al, 2020;Min, 2014;Vinothkumar et al, 2016).…”

“…Mindfulness was found to have a positive effect on job satisfaction and quality of life, supporting previous research that suggests regular attention and focus through mindfulness can enhance job satisfaction and quality of life (Abulizi et al, 2023; Choi & Koh, 2015; Fortney et al, 2013). Job satisfaction was found to have a very high positive effect on quality of life, supporting previous research (Kong et al, 2020).…”

Infertility-Related Stress, and Dyadic Coping as Predictors of Quality of Life: Gender Differences Among Couples with Infertility Issues

“… 15 Previous studies have overlooked the interactions and differences between the quality of life in the context of infertility between spouses. 17 In reality, partners’ perceptions of fertility issues have a cross-partner impact on the patients’ emotional, physical, and relational quality of life. 34 A better quality of life for women was predicted by a better partner’s ability to identify and describe emotions, as well as by a better quality of life for men, who were more externally oriented thinking than their spouses.…”

“… 16 Prior studies have ignored the interactions and differences between spouses’ QoL and patients’ QoL. 17 Studies on women or men alone could not fully understand the important role played by their spouses. Therefore, it is necessary to further explore the interactive effects that the stress experienced by both patients and their spouses may have on each other’s QoL.…”