Effect of Existential Group Therapy on Infertility Stress in Infertile Men’s Spouses

Abstract

of the participants were 31.46±5.80 and 31.89±4.53 years in the intervention and control groups, respectively. Duration of infertility in the intervention and control groups were 5 and 4 years, respectively. Results showed significant differences between the mean±SD of the social concern subscale of the intervention group (28.35±10.36) and that of the control group (38.39±9.44), between the sexual concern subscale of the intervention group (28.68±8.72) compared to that of the control group (35.88±9.03), between communication concern subscale of the intervention group (29.28±12.18) compared to that of the control group (41.86±10.34), between lifestyle without children subscale of the intervention group (31.06±8.78) compared to that of the control group (37.13±8.78), and between need to be a parent subscale of the intervention group (37.55±9.22) compared to that of the control group (47.43±10.34) at the post-test (P=0.001). Results showed a significantly lower infertility stress total score for the intervention group (154.95±25.94) compared to the control group (190.02±25.91) at the post-test (P=0.001). Conclusion: Existential group therapy counseling may be a useful approach to reduce the stress of infertility among couples who struggle with infertility.