relationship between attachment styles and depression in university students

Background and Purpose: The relationship between the quality of attachment and psychological injuries include a wide range of psychological research. The aim of this study was to compare the attachment styles in normal students and those with high depressive symptoms

Materials and methods: This case-control research involved the population of female university students at the Teacher Training University of Tehran during the education year 2010-2011. The sample included 82 students [41 depressed and 41 normal]. The instruments were Beck Depression Inventory [BDI], clinical interview and Revised Adult Attachment Scale [Collins and Read, 1990]. To analyze the data the multivariate analysis of variance [MANOVA] was used in SPSS 16

Results: Mean scores of the depressed and non-depressed students in three attachment styles [secure, avoidance insecure and ambivalent insecure] were 55.44 +/- 4.33, 12.59 +/- 2.55, 13.13 +/- 2.77, 18.69 +/- 4.23, 13.35 +/- 3.01 and 88.44 +/- 1.67 respectively. The mean score of depressed insecure ambivalent style was higher than that of the non-depressed group [F=5.59, P<0.02]; and the mean score of the non-depressed group was higher than that of the depressed secure attachment style [14.18, P<0.001]. There was no significant difference between the two groups in the avoidance attachment style [p<0.19]

Conclusion: Based on the results, non-depressed people have a secure attachment style and depressed ones have an ambivalent insecure style

Attitude towards infertility and its relation to depression and anxiety in infertile couples

Different psychological aspects of infertility have been studied so far. The objecttive of this study was to determine the most common dimensions of attitude towards infertility in infertile couples and also to determine the relation between attitude towards infertility and age of couples, the time-span after marriage, educational achievements and infertility variables. Another objective of the study was to determine the relation between attitude towards infertility and degrees of depression and anxiety. Among people who referred to Fertility and Infertility Center in Isfahan in autumn 2004, 55 cases [25 men and 30 women], who had neither children nor any adoption child but had been diagnosed infertile, were randomly selected and were asked to answer attitude towards infertility questionnaire and Beck s depression and anxiety inventories. The data were analyzed by SPSS software. Statistical methods such as correlation, descriptive analysis, variance and multiple regression analyses were employed. Based on the findings of the study, attitude towards having offspring and parental role with 69.1%, and attitude towards social acceptance with 54.5%, were the most prevalent dimensions of attitude towards infertility. In addition, attitude had a significant [p<0.05] reverse relation to age but had no significant relation to time-span after marriage or the participants' educational levels. Results did not show significant differences in attitude towards infertility, when the participant, his/her spouse or both of them were infertile. Noting the regression analysis results, attitude towards life control and social acceptance are the most important factors determining depression severity [p<0.0001], where life control, social acceptance, having offspring and parental role had greater effects on anxiety [p<0.0001]. Many infertile couples put the highest emphasis on offspring and parental role and most of them had negative attitude towards social acceptance. Older people had less negative attitudes towards the variables. The participants' attitude towards infertility had no relation to timespan after marriage, educational levels or whether the participant, his/her spouse or both were infertile. Depression and anxiety in these couples were due to their attitude towards life control and social acceptance

Embryo reduction in multiple pregnancies

By the means of assisted reproductive technologies [ART], such as in vitro fertilization [IVF] and intracyctoplasmic sperm injection techniques [ICSI], more than one million infants have been born throughout the world. One of the interesting happenings in infertility treatment procedures, that needs to be addressed, is the occurrence of multiple pregnancies which is usually seen following the use of ovary stimulating medications, embryo hatching and transference of a high number of embryos for higher success rates. For reducing the chances of this problem and preventing subsequent complications during pregnancy, embryo reduction is employed for two purposes: 1. Embryo reduction in triple or higher pregnancies, for the prevention of fetal and maternal complications and 2. Selective embryo reduction in cases where one or more fetuses have malformations or chromosomal defects. Embryo reduction methods: Dilatation of cervix and suction of one or more fetuses, via transvaginal route, by the help of sonography and trans-abdominally by the use of sonography. Although medical doctors might not be eager enough to know about embryo reduction in multiple pregnancies, but they have to know about the procedures and be prepared for medical interventions in emergencies, based on ethical and legal principles or on the request of patients. The first step, especially in infertility clinics, is reducing the chances or preventing the occurrence of these instances. Although selective reduction of embryos is ethically and legally accepted, but before any moves taken, offering infertility counseling is essential and it should include the expression of the risks of multiple pregnancies and ethical issues in embryo reduction before the transference of embryo [s] to the uterus, as lack of information on these subjects may lead to more problems afterwards. This study reviews the medical and ethical aspects of the issue and also introduces embryo reduction techniques in multiple pregnancies,in methods employing ovarian stimulating medications and in in vitro fertilization techniques. This method of embryo reduction, will reduce the risks of abortion, premature births, birth of malformed children and fetal demise, otherwise these would be the case if measures are not taken to correct the problem

Psychological characteristics of infertile couples referring to Isfahan Fertility and Infertility Center [IFIC]

One of stresses that affect psychological structure and interpersonal relations is infertility. Many researches show that infertility and actually viewing it, causes emotional disturbances among couples. Researchers have reported the outburst of impulsive behavior, anger, depression, helplessness, self-insufficiency, ineffectiveness and feeling worthless, anxiety especially associated with long term treatments and sometimes without success, negative believes toward oneself and... Most of these reports indicate the higher frequency of these disorders among infertile woman compare with infertile men. This study has been done with the aim of comparing psychiatric disorders and self-concept of infertile and normal fertile couples and comparing psychiatric disorders and self-concept of woman and men in each group. Study is descriptive analytical type, which there were 100 persons of women and men of 25-45 years old in each group. It was done in Isfahan City. Necessary information were gathered with help of SCL90 questionnaire which distinguishes mental disorders in 9 categories and Beck's self-concept questionnaire which was administered in form of individual interview. The results of comparison between scores of infertile and fertile groups with SCL90 different scales were significant differences in the scale of somatic, mental-behavioral obsessive, interpersonal sensitivity, depression, anxiety, hostility, phobia, paranoid and psychotic thoughts with P<0/05 that reveals more psychiatric disorders among infertile couples than normal ones. Also in this comparison between scores of infertile women and men in all categories of SCL90, it showed significant difference except hostility, paranoid and psychotic thoughts with P<0/05 which this reveals women are more affected than men. Considering other findings, literatures and findings of this research, caring about psychological aspects of chronic diseases such as heart disease, endocrine glands and kidney diseases, cancer and also simulating physical treatment with mental rehabilitation and consultation services with medical services to facilitate the treatment process and enhancement of emotional affective condition of patients and their families seem to be vital