title: The relations between marital quality, social support, social acceptance and coping strategies among the infertile Iranian couples.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Researchers aimed to assess marital quality among the infertile couples undergoing assistive reproductive treatments and their coping strategies, social support and social acceptance.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a cross-sectional study, 133 infertile couples undergoing assisted reproductive treatments were assessed for marital satisfaction, conflict resolution and marital communication, and coping strategies, using a self-report questionnaire. Also, the level of perceived social support and social acceptance as moderator variables were measured. Data were analyzed using independent t test, Pearson correlation coefficient, and linear regressions, after adjusting for age, cause of infertility and the duration of infertility.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No significant difference was found in the use of various coping strategies between couples. The correlation for marital satisfaction, marital communication and conflict resolution by using some coping strategy and the level of perceived social acceptance were significantly positive among women. Also, marital relationships had a positive and significant correlation with the level of perceived social support for men. But, unlike women, the couples' scales were significant for the perceived social support. The use of different coping strategies by men and women had a positive correlation with their perceived social support.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Coping strategies used by the infertile couples had an important role in different aspects of their married life in search of marital satisfaction, and intermediates by the perceived social acceptance for women and social support for men.
authors.affiliation: Student Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Fatemeh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Yazdani
authors.affiliation: Reproductive Health Department, Women Health Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran. Electronic address: Kazemi@nm.mui.ac.ir.
authors.forename: Ashraf
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kazemi
authors.affiliation: University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan; World Wide Nursing Service Network (WWNSN, PLLC), El Paso, TX, United States.
authors.forename: Marjaneh M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Fooladi
authors.affiliation: University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Hamid R Oreyzi
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Samani
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007246:Infertility / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000523:psychology; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D007492:Iran; D008297:Male; D008393:Marriage / Q000523:psychology*; D012929:Psychological Distance; D027724:Reproductive Techniques, Assisted / Q000523:psychology*; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Coping strategies; Marital quality; Marital satisfaction; Social acceptance; Social supports