Openness and Communication Effects on Relationship Satisfaction in Women Experiencing Infertility or Miscarriage: A Dyadic Approach

Abstract

Openness and communication between partners are key elements of dyadic coping with stress. Our main research question is: what is the impact of these factors on relational satisfaction in spouses struggling with infertility or miscarriage? In the current study, by applying the actor–partner interdependence model to 90 heterosexual couples (N = 180), we examined the link between the spouses’ openness (the Giessen Test), communication (Flexibility and Cohesion Evaluation Scales) and relationship satisfaction (the Marriage Success Scale). Controlling for relevant covariates (communication, own openness and type of stress experienced by the spouses: infertility or miscarriage), a dyadic analysis revealed significant actor (−0.24; p < 0.001) and partner effects (−0.20; p < 0.001). We conclude that the relationship between the perception of the partner’s openness and the relationship satisfaction in women is strong, in the context of the analyzed potential confounding variables. We also observe that the relationship satisfaction in women from the group of infertile spouses is 6.06 points lower compared to women from the group of marriages after miscarriage (p = 0.034).

The effect of depression and the reframing strategy on the level of satisfaction with family life in infertile and post-miscarriage couples: dyadic analyzes

“…Fertility problems are believed to affect physical and mental health in all cultures and societies (Greil, Slauson-Blevins, & McQuillan, 2010). Couples struggling with infertility and those after a miscarriage experience many types of stressors, many anxieties related to the infertility treatment process itself, and the greatest threat for them is the loss of hope for parenthood (Kiełek-Rataj et al 2020;Krosch, Shakespeare-Finch 2017).…”

“…Losing a desired pregnancy evokes helplessness and fear, and can lead to both immediate and long-term stress reactions, such as guilt, sadness (Chu et al, 2020;Robinson, 2014). It can also coexist with other psychological factors, such as anxiety and depression (Kiełek-Rataj et al 2020), emotional disorders of a chronic, acute or transient nature (Musters et al, 2013), which is associated not only with the low quality of life of women after a miscarriage (Tavoli et al, 2018), but at the same time a significantly higher risk of another miscarriage (Qu et al, 2017;Terzioglu et al, 2016).…”

“…Although women want children more than men (Alosaimi et al, 2017), they suffer the consequences and suffering of infertility more acutely than men (Cserepes, Kollár, Sápy, Wischmann, Bugán, 2013;Kim, Shin, Yun, 2018) and experience more emotionally grief and depressive symptoms after a miscarriage (Chen, Chang, Kuo, Chen, 2020;Huffman, Schwartz, Swanson, 2015;Nagórska, Bartosiewicz, Obrzut, Darmochwał-Kolarz, 2019), however, both problems are dyadic in nature. Experiencing fertility problems in marriage is a complex process that can either strengthen or worsen family relationships (Kiełek-Rataj et al 2020). The problem of infertility may lead partners to question the purpose and meaning of the relationship, it may arouse extreme emotions of resentment, rage, guilt and shame (Luk, Loke, 2015).…”

“…The problem of infertility may lead partners to question the purpose and meaning of the relationship, it may arouse extreme emotions of resentment, rage, guilt and shame (Luk, Loke, 2015). Infertile women often involve their spouses in the treatment process to feel that the partner is in control of everything and seek the partners' support, which contributes to lowering the level of depression (Kiełek-Rataj et al 2020). Men, on the other hand, may experience infertility, in the context of their own self-esteem, indirectly based on how their infertility is perceived by their partner and how it affects her well-being (Farrren et al, 2016;.…”

“…It is a traumatic event that provokes the experience of grief, which can trigger symptoms of mental disorders: depression, anxiety disorders and PTSD (Guzewicz, 2014;Krosch, Shakespeare-Finch 2017). Experiencing loss together, partners' openness and a strong, lasting relatioship allow partners not only to return to the state before the occurrence of a difficult event, but also to come out stronger (Hamama-Raz et al, 2010;Kiełek-Rataj et al, 2020;Hiefner, 2021).…”