Roles and Role Conflict of Women in Infertile Couples

Abstract

This study explored the experience of role conflict for women in infertile couples. The infertile group consisted of 29 women who, with their husbands, were beginning an infertility program; comparison group subjects were 29 married women with no history of inability to conceive. Each subject completed self-report instruments measuring role conceptions and expectations, the experience of role conflict, and occupational commitment. Each husband also reported his role expectations for his ideal woman. Also, a semi-structured interview was conducted with each infertile subject. Compared to the control group, the infertile group's role conceptions were more traditional; they reported less role conflict of various kinds, and they showed greater occupational commitment. They did not differ significantly on degree of wife-husband role discrepancy, or on mother's occupational commitment. These findings lead to an understanding of infertility as part of an interactional system for dealing with potentially intolerable sources of role conflict.Pregnancy is probably the most dramatic, strictly female biological event-one that has meaning not only biologically, but culturally, interpersonally, and intrapsychically as well. Fertility is closely tied to woman's identity and roles (Russo, 1976), and a psychology of women that is founded in women's o w n experience and values must address this area.

Sophie's choice: A metaphor for infertility

“…Investigators continue to be oriented toward the view that infertility is a biological expression of unconscious will or a biological resolution of psychic conflicts by searching for significant differences between fertile and infertile women, and between functionally and organically infertile women on such variables as role conflict and orientations to femininity and masculinity (Allison, 1979;Freeman, Garcia, & Rickels, 1983;Slade, 1981). Only recently have there been efforts to view psychological dysfunction as resulting from the experience of being infertile in a treatment environment that is intrusive, painful, and embarrassing and in a social milieu in which childlessness is considered deviant (Seibel & Taymor, 1982;Veevers, 1972).…”

Selected issues in women's reproductive health: Psychological perspectives.

“…when organic causes of infertility often could not be identified, the first model conceptualized infertility as a psychosomatic illness, residing primarily in the female. Such putative cases as conflict over the maternal role and feminine sexual identity were advanced (Allison, 1979;Eisner, 1963), as exemplified by Sandler (1968):…”

Characteristics of the Biopsychosocial Crisis of Infertility

“…Most of the information presented here is based on repeated clinical observations made by medical and allied personnel.. Descriptions of common psychological responses to infertility have received some limited empirical support from studies that have appeared largely in medical journals (Allison, 1979;Berger, 1980;David & Avidan, 1976;Drake & Grunert, 1979;Eisner, 1963;Freeman, Garcia, & Rickels, 1983;Harrison, O'Moore, O'Moore, & McSweeney, 1981;Harrison, O'Moore, O'Moore, & Robb, 1984;McGrade & Tolor, 1981;Platt, Ficher, & Silver, 1973;Wiehe, 1976). These studies alone have not provided convincing descriptions of the crisis of infertility, however.…”