The Predication of Marital Adjustment based on Mindfulness among Infertile Couples in Iran

Abstract

Background: Infertility and its treatment cause psychological effects, such as confusion, frustration, depression, anxiety, hopelessness, and worthlessness in life. Mindfulness reduces negative emotions and increases people's adjustment when faced with stressful life tasks. Therefore, this study aims to predict marital adjustment based on mindfulness in infertile couples. Methods: The present descriptive-correlational study was conducted on 122 infertile couples referred to Mother and Child Hospital in Shiraz selected by convenience sampling method in summer of 2013. After obtaining consent form, demographic questionnaire, dyadic adjustment scale (DAS), and five facet mindfulness questionnaire (FFMQ) were used to collect data. The data were analyzed by SPSS 23 using Pearson correlation and multiple regression analysis (P=0.05). Results: Seventy-four couples had been married for less than five years and 48 couples had been married for more than five years with a mean age of 32±5 years. The results indicated that all mindfulness components except non-judgmental inner experience predict marital adjustment (P<0.05). Conclusion: The results indicate that mindfulness technique is very effective and has positive influence on improving marital adjustment between infertile couples. Massive mental health education is recommended to educate the infertile couples and governmental and non-governmental agencies are required to help this group of people for effective prevention, treatment, and control of this problem. This treatment can affect marital adjustment in both groups of men and women.