AUTHOR=Zhang Lihong , Gu Wei , Jing Xiaoyu , Zhi Shihan , Zhou Nan , Zhang Lu , Wang Wenru , Jiang Ying 

TITLE=Predicting the dyadic coping through self-esteem among infertile couples undergoing in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer: An actor-partner interdependence model

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Psychology

VOLUME=14

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1127464

DOI=10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1127464

ISSN=1664-1078

ABSTRACT=<sec><title>Background</title><p>The population of infertile couples receiving <italic>in vitro</italic> fertilization and embryo transfer in China is increasing gradually. The association of self-esteem and dyadic coping of infertile couples undergoing <italic>in vitro</italic> fertilization and embryo transfer has not been reported. This investigation aimed to examine the predictive effect of self-esteem of infertile couples undergoing <italic>in vitro</italic> fertilization and embryo transfer on coping strategies at the dyadic level.</p></sec><sec><title>Methods</title><p>A cross-sectional study involving 283 infertile couples was conducted at the Reproductive Center of Northwest Women and Children’s Hospital in China. Participants were asked to complete two self-administered questionnaires, to assess self-esteem (Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale) and dyadic coping (Dyadic Coping Inventory). Paired <italic>t</italic>-test and Pearson correlation were used to analyze the difference and correlation of variables between wife and husband. The actor-partner interdependence model was used to test the predictive effect of each individual’s self-esteem on their own and their partners’ dyadic coping.</p></sec><sec><title>Results</title><p>Infertile couples’ self-esteem and dyadic coping are in the medium range. The self-esteem of wives and husbands can fully predict their own dyadic coping. Meanwhile, the husband’s self-esteem can predict the wife’s stress communication (<italic>β</italic> = 0.135, <italic>p</italic> = 0.025), support dyadic coping (<italic>β</italic> = 0.142, <italic>p</italic> = 0.019), and negative dyadic coping (<italic>β</italic> = 0.133, <italic>p</italic> = 0.024), and the wife’s perceived partners’ supportive dyadic coping (<italic>β</italic> = 0.147, <italic>p</italic> = 0.014) and negative dyadic coping (<italic>β</italic> = 0.144, <italic>p</italic> = 0.016). Similarly, the wife’s self-esteem can predict the husband’s supportive dyadic coping (<italic>β</italic> = 0.195, <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.001), and the husband’s perceived partners’ stress communication (<italic>β</italic> = 0.184, <italic>p</italic> = 0.003) and supportive dyadic coping (<italic>β</italic> = 0.180, <italic>p</italic> = 0.002).</p></sec><sec><title>Conclusion</title><p>The actor-partner analyses revealed insight into how infertile couples undergoing <italic>in vitro</italic> fertilization and embryo transfer interact and highlighted the importance of self-esteem in dyadic coping styles. Future psychological interventions can enhance self-esteem as an effective way to improve dyadic coping of infertile couples.</p></sec>