Well-being and relationship satisfaction of couples dealing with an in vitro fertilization/ intracytoplasmic sperm injection procedure: a multilevel approach on the role of self-criticism, dependency, and romantic attachment.
OBJECTIVE
To extend existing research on the psychological impact of IVF by studying the association between the psychosocial factors of self-criticism and dependency, and romantic attachment, with the well-being and relationship satisfaction of couples across the different phases of IVF/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) treatment.


METHODS
Prospective, three-wave study (i.e., from start of IVF/ICSI treatment, to 3- and 6-month follow-up).


METHODS
University hospital.


METHODS
Seventy couples in IVF/ICSI treatment.


METHODS
Psychometric tests were administered at first visit of IVF/ICSI treatment, and at 3- and 6-month follow-up.


METHODS
Psychological well-being, relationship satisfaction.


RESULTS
Results demonstrated that preexisting psychosocial factors such as self-criticism, dependency, and romantic attachment are more important factors for psychological well-being and relationship satisfaction during IVF/ICSI than gender and treatment-related factors such as duration of fertility problems. In addition, multilevel analysis, a statistical method that is required for the analysis of longitudinal couple data and decomposes variation in three levels (i.e., time, individuals, and couples), showed more variation in psychological well-being and relationship satisfaction between couples, than between individuals and different time measurements.


CONCLUSIONS
Preexisting personality factors and being embedded within a certain couple relationship are important factors for the psychological well-being and relationship satisfaction during IVF/ICSI.
Lowyck
Benedicte
B
Department of Psychology, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium. Benedicte.Lowyck@psy.kuleuven.be
Luyten
Patrick
P
Corveleyn
Jozef
J
D'Hooghe
Thomas
T
Buyse
Evelien
E
Demyttenaere
Koen
K
D003858:Dependency, Psychological; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008149:Love; D008297:Male; D015233:Models, Statistical; D009769:Object Attachment; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011594:Psychometrics; D011788:Quality of Life; D012649:Self Concept; D012737:Sex Factors; D020554:Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome