title: Differences in psychophysical well-being and signs of depression in couples undergoing their first consultation for assisted reproduction technology (ART): an Italian pilot study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The data we refer to belong to a longitudinal research project starting at the first contact of individual couples with the Infertility Unity; they were then followed-up till pregnancy or failure of treatments. The study aims at investigating in depth the emotional state of patients admitted for first consultation. Specifically, we investigated the emotional state of the two members of an infertile couple, considering also their biomedical and socio-demographic characteristics.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a cross-sectional study evaluating a consecutive series of 309 couples, consulting for the first time our Infertility Unit for a multidisciplinary diagnostic evaluation in relation to their infertility. The multidisciplinary equip is composed of a gynaecologist, an andrologist and a clinical psychologist. Two standardized instruments were administered by the clinical psychologist to the two members of the couple: the Edinburgh Depression Scale (EDS) and the General Health Questionnaire-form 12 (GHQ-12), for screening of non-somatic signs of depression and psychophysical well-being, respectively. Couples were eligible for the study if they had not received any prior ART treatment in our Unit and were able to read and understand Italian. In addition, they had to agree to provide informed consent for the study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We obtained a response in 62% of all eligible couples. There were two major unexpected findings:
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Psychological and counselling services dedicated to ART should consider also socio-demographic data and always specifically consider gender differences, not only a couple's psychology and its dynamics.
authors.affiliation: Psychiatry Unit, Department of Neurosciences, Psychology, Pharmacology and Child Health (NEUROFARBA), Careggi University Hospital Trust Florence (AOUC), Italy. Electronic address: vania.valoriani@unifi.it.
authors.forename: Vania
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Valoriani
authors.affiliation: Sexual Medicine and Andrology Unit, Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, Careggi University Hospital Trust Florence (AOUC), Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lotti
authors.affiliation: Psychiatry Unit, Department of Neurosciences, Psychology, Pharmacology and Child Health (NEUROFARBA), Careggi University Hospital Trust Florence (AOUC), Italy.
authors.forename: Donatella
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lari
authors.affiliation: Institute for Study and Prevention in Oncology, Epidemiological Section, Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Miccinesi
authors.affiliation: Psychiatry Unit, Department of Neurosciences, Psychology, Pharmacology and Child Health (NEUROFARBA), Careggi University Hospital Trust Florence (AOUC), Italy.
authors.forename: Serena
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vaiani
authors.affiliation: Psychiatry Unit, Department of Neurosciences, Psychology, Pharmacology and Child Health (NEUROFARBA), Careggi University Hospital Trust Florence (AOUC), Italy.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vanni
authors.affiliation: Department of Maternal and Infant Health, Center for Artificial Reproductive Techniques, Careggi University Hospital Trust Florence (AOUC), Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Elisabetta
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Coccia
authors.affiliation: Sexual Medicine and Andrology Unit, Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, Careggi University Hospital Trust Florence (AOUC), Italy.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maggi
authors.affiliation: Department of Maternal and Infant Health, Center for Artificial Reproductive Techniques, Careggi University Hospital Trust Florence (AOUC), Italy.
authors.forename: Ivo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Noci
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology*; D004522:Educational Status; D004644:Emotions; D004651:Employment; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007246:Infertility / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D007558:Italy; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D017533:Marital Status; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011247:Pregnancy; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D027724:Reproductive Techniques, Assisted / Q000523:psychology*; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D013997:Time Factors; D017211:Treatment Failure; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Couple first consultation for Assisted Reproduction Technology (ART); Gender differences; Marital state; Men age; Psychophysical well-being; Signs of depression