Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
The 32nd International Congress of Psychology, Prag, Çek Cumhuriyeti, 18 - 23 Temmuz 2021
In the case of conception
via assisted reproductive techniques (ART), pregnancy can be more difficult;
these women cannot help feeling anxious and having no control over the process
(Harris & Daniluk, 2010). In order to prepare themselves for any potential
losses, they can have pregnancy adjustment problems and show lower prenatal
attachment towards the fetus (Hjelmstedt et al., 2006). In present study, the
predictive role of prenatal distress on pregnancy adaptation, and the moderator
roles of perceived social support (from family, friends and significant other)
and insecure attachment styles (anxious and avoidant) were aimed to be investigated.
The participants were 185 pregnant women who conceived via ART. The results of
moderation analyses (Hayes & Matthes, 2009) revealed that higher levels of
perceived social support from friends buffered the negative effects of prenatal
distress on participants’ concern for the well-being of self and baby, fear of
labor and overall pregnancy adaptation level (B=-.2771, SE=.1405, p=.050,
95%CI[-.5543,0]). Regarding the moderator role of attachment styles, as the
participants' anxious attachment levels became lower, the negative effects of
prenatal distress were decreased and women's pregnancy adaptation in terms of
concern for self and baby, fear of labor and overall adaptation score (B=-.26,
SE=.13, p=.05, 95%CI[-.5259,0]) tended to increase. Although partner and family
support were found as fundamental stress-buffering sources (Martins et al.,
2011), in this study perceived social support from friends was found to be the
only significant moderator. This supports the idea that receiving social support
from outside the home can be more helpful for infertile women (Amir et al.,
1999). Moreover, as earlier studies indicated, anxious attachment style can
have a stronger influence on expectant mothers’ pregnancy-related distress
(Trillingsgaard et al., 2011), decrease their psychological adaptation and
well-being (Mikulincer et al., 1998). The findings were discussed in terms of
clinical-health psychology practices.