The Dyadic Interaction Model of Relationship Quality and the Impact of Attachment Orientation and Empathy on Infertile Couples in China

Abstract

Background: The study was conducted to examine the effect of attachment orientation and empathy on the relationship quality of infertile couples and assess the interdependency model of these factors.Method: In this study, 168 infertile couples (336 individuals) were enrolled and asked to finish he following questionnaires: the revised Adult Attachment Scales, the Interpersonal Response Index questionnaire, and the Relationship Quality subscale of the Fertility Quality of Life (FertiQol).Results: The attachment orientation of infertile couples can influence their relationship quality, and empathetic wives and husbands have actor and partner effects on the infertile couples’ relationship quality.Conclusion: Empathetic infertile couples are conducive to the harmony of the relationship. In order to provide better psychological services for patients, the clinical personnel should consider the infertile couple as a team both experiencing the stress of infertility together, and then should evaluate their ability for empathy systematically.