@2024 Afarand., IRAN
ISSN: 2251-8215 Sarem Journal of Reproductive Medicine 2019;3(3):111-116
ISSN: 2251-8215 Sarem Journal of Reproductive Medicine 2019;3(3):111-116
Comparison of Marital Commitment and Relationship Quality between Fertile- and Infertile Couples
ARTICLE INFO
Article Type
Descriptive & Survey StudyAuthors
Shahhosseini Tazik S. (*1)Taheri N. (1)
Sayyadi M. (1)
(*1) Educational Psychology and Consultation Department, Psychology & Educational Faculty Sciences, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
(1) Educational Psychology and Consultation Department, Physical Education & Sport Sciences Faculty, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
(1) Educational Psychology and Consultation Department, Physical Education & Sport Sciences Faculty, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
Correspondence
Address: Kavian University, Kosar 13, kosar Boulevard, Vakil Abad Boulevard, Mashhad, Khorasan Razavi, Iran.Phone: +98 (51) 38816393
Fax: +98 (51) 38827895
s.shahhosseini.psy@gmail.com
Article History
Received: June 7, 2018Accepted: April 14, 2019
ePublished: July 6, 2019
ABSTRACT
Aims
Infertility is one of the main problems in a marriage, which can have various psychological consequences, including the inability to establish quality relationship between the couples and the instability of their marital commitment. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between marital commitment and relationship quality of fertile couples compared with infertile couples.
Materials & Methods In this descriptive cohort study conducted between 2015 and 2016, 170 fertile (N=89) and infertile (N=81) men and women (infertile) referred to Sarem Hospital were selected, using available sampling. The instrument of study was marital commitment questionnaire and couples' relationship quality questionnaire. The data were analyzed by SPSS 19, using the Pearson correlation coefficient and Student t-test.
Findings There was a significant difference in the quality of relationship and all its subscales except the attention paid to the spouse as well as only in the subscale of personal commitment among the subscales of marital commitment of fertile and infertile couples (p<0.05). In both groups, there was a positive and significant correlation between marital commitment and quality of life, which was stronger in the fertile group (r=0.27) (r=0.28) than in infertile group (r=0.18; p<0.05).
Conclusion Infertility decreases the level of couples' personal commitment to marital life and can undermine the quality of their relationship.
Materials & Methods In this descriptive cohort study conducted between 2015 and 2016, 170 fertile (N=89) and infertile (N=81) men and women (infertile) referred to Sarem Hospital were selected, using available sampling. The instrument of study was marital commitment questionnaire and couples' relationship quality questionnaire. The data were analyzed by SPSS 19, using the Pearson correlation coefficient and Student t-test.
Findings There was a significant difference in the quality of relationship and all its subscales except the attention paid to the spouse as well as only in the subscale of personal commitment among the subscales of marital commitment of fertile and infertile couples (p<0.05). In both groups, there was a positive and significant correlation between marital commitment and quality of life, which was stronger in the fertile group (r=0.27) (r=0.28) than in infertile group (r=0.18; p<0.05).
Conclusion Infertility decreases the level of couples' personal commitment to marital life and can undermine the quality of their relationship.
CITATION LINKS
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[25]Ghanbari Hashemabadi B, Hatami Varzaneh A, Esmaieli M, Farahbakhsh K. On the relationship among parenting styles, attachment styles and marital commitment in married female students of Allameh Tabatabai University. J Woman. 2011;2(7):39-60. [Persian]
[26]Adams JM, Jones WH. The conceptualization of marital commitment: An integrative analysis. J Personal Soc Psychol. 1997;72(5):1177-96.
[27]Reynolds J, Mansfield P. The effect of changing attitudes to marriage on its stability. In: Simons J, editor. High divorce rates: The state of the evidence on reasons and remedies, reviews of evidence on the causes of marital breakdown and the effectiveness of policies and services intended to reduce its incidence. 1st Volume. London: Lord Chancellor's Department; 1999. pp. 1-38.
[28]Khoshkam S, Ahmadi SA, Abedi MR. The effect of couple’s relationship training course in the improvement of the relationship of the couples of Isfahan. J Res Couns. 2008;6(24):123-36. [Persian].
[2]Peterson BD, Newton CR, Rosen KH. Examining congruence between partners' perceived infertility‐related stress and its relationship to marital adjustment and depression in infertile couples. Fam process. 2003;42(1):59-70.
[3]Nichols M. Lesbian sexuality/female sexuality: Rethinking 'lesbian bed death'. Sex Relatsh Ther. 2004;19(4):363-71.
[4]Sherrod RA. Understanding the emotional aspects of infertility: Implications for nursing practice. J Psychosoc Nurs Ment Health Serv. 2004;42(3):40-7.
[5]Behdani F, Erfanian M, Hebrani P, Hojat SK. Investigation of the prevalence of depression and factors affecting it in infertile women admitted in Mashhad's Montaseryeh infertility clinic. J Fundam Ment Health. 2004;6(23-24):141-6. [Persian]
[6]Drosdzol A, Skrzypulec V. Evaluation of marital and sexual interactions of Polish infertile couples. J Sex Med. 2009;6(12):3335-46.
[7]World Health Organization. Current practices and controversies in assisted reproduction [Internet]. Vayena E, Rowe PJ, Griffin PD, editors. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2002 [cited 2015 Sep 18]. Available from: http://www.who.int/reproductivehealth/publications/infertility/9241590300/en/
[8]Shahsiah M, Bahrami F, Mohebi S. On the relationship between sexual satisfaction and marital commitment among couples in Shahreza City, central part of Iran. J Fundam Ment Health. 2009;11(3):233-8. [Persian]
[9]Weeks G, Treat S. Couples in treatment. Abingdon-on-Thames: Routledge; 2013.
[10]Lambert NM, Dollahite DC. The threefold cord: Marital commitment in religious couples. J Fam Issues. 2008;29(5):592-614.
[11]Johnson MP, Caughlin JP, Huston TL. The tripartite nature of marital commitment: Personal, moral, and structural reasons to stay married. J Marriage Fam. 1999;61(1):160-77.
[12]Abbasi Molid H. The effectiveness of educating reality therapy on couples' marital commitment in Khomeynishahr county [Dissertation]. Isfahan: University of Isfahan; 2009. [Persian]
[13]Amato PR. Reconciling divergent perspectives: Judith Wallerstein, quantitative family research, and children of divorce. Fam Relat. 2003;52(4):332-9.
[14]Peterson BD, Newton CR, Rosen KH, Skaggs G. Gender differences in how men and women who are referred for IVF cope with infertility stress. Hum Reprod. 2006;21(9):2443-9.
[15]Nichols MP, Guerin PJ, Chabot DR. Family therapy: Concepts and methods. New York: Gardner Press; 1984.
[16]Mosko JE. Commitment and attachment dimensions: Contributions to adult attachment development [Dissertation]. West Lafayette IN: Purdue University; 2009.
[17]Clements R, Swensen CH. Commitment to one’s spouse as a predictor of marital quality among older couples. Curr Psychol. 2000;19(2):110-9.
[18]Amani A, Behzad D. The effectiveness of schema-therapy on promoting marital commitment and couples' self-esteem. Couns Res. 2012;11(41):117-33. [Persian]
[19]Stanley SM, Markman HJ, Whitton SW. Communication, conflict, and commitment: Insights on the foundations of relationship success from a national survey. Fam Process. 2002;41(4):659-75.
[20]Speroff L, Fritz MA, editors. Clinical gynecologic endocrinology and infertility. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2005.
[21]Yaghmaei F, Mohammadi S, Alavimajd H. Developing quality of life in infertile couples questionnaire and measuring its psychometric properties. J Reprod Infertil. 2009;10(2):137-43. [Persian]
[22]Moulavinia MJ. Sexual and marital knowledge. Qom: Imame Asr; 2004. [Persian]
[23]Farajnia S, Hosseinian S, Shahidi S, Sadeghi MS. Codifying and examine psychometrics properties of marital sexual function scale (MSFS). Biannu J Appl Couns. 2014;4(1):87-104. [Persian]
[24]Litzinger S, Gordon KC. Exploring relationships among communication, sexual satisfaction, and marital satisfaction. J Sex Marital Ther. 2005;31(5):409-24.
[25]Ghanbari Hashemabadi B, Hatami Varzaneh A, Esmaieli M, Farahbakhsh K. On the relationship among parenting styles, attachment styles and marital commitment in married female students of Allameh Tabatabai University. J Woman. 2011;2(7):39-60. [Persian]
[26]Adams JM, Jones WH. The conceptualization of marital commitment: An integrative analysis. J Personal Soc Psychol. 1997;72(5):1177-96.
[27]Reynolds J, Mansfield P. The effect of changing attitudes to marriage on its stability. In: Simons J, editor. High divorce rates: The state of the evidence on reasons and remedies, reviews of evidence on the causes of marital breakdown and the effectiveness of policies and services intended to reduce its incidence. 1st Volume. London: Lord Chancellor's Department; 1999. pp. 1-38.
[28]Khoshkam S, Ahmadi SA, Abedi MR. The effect of couple’s relationship training course in the improvement of the relationship of the couples of Isfahan. J Res Couns. 2008;6(24):123-36. [Persian].