Analysis of stressors, coping styles, and mental health in infertile men and women

To identify the psychological traits associated with infertility, and clarify its consequences, this study investigated stress, ways of coping and mental health of infertile men and women. The General Health Questionnaire, the Lazarus and Folkman Ways of Coping Questionnaire, and scale of factors causing stress were completed by 80 infertile individuals (40 females and 40 males). The information was analyzed by a dependent t-test, the chi square test, a t-test to compare two independent groups, and a regression analysis. Results Infertile women had fewer mental health issues compared to those of infertile men. The results showed that infertile people used problem-focused coping less than emotional focused coping and that infertile men and women that used problem-focused coping more than emotion focused coping had better mental health. The findings indicate the effective role of coping strategies used by infertile individuals to predict mental health status and the role of gender on the relationship between the mentioned variables.