Investigation of personality traits between infertile women submitted to assisted reproductive technology or surrogacy

Background: Personality traits affect human relationships, social interactions, treatment procedures, and essentially all human activities. The purpose of this study is to investigate the personality traits -including sensation seeking, flexibility, and happiness - among a variety of infertile women who were apt to choose assisted reproductive technology [ART] or surrogacy

Materials and Methods: This is a cross-sectional study that was performed on 251 infertile women who visited Isfahan and Tehran Reproductive Medicine Center. These fertility clinics are located in Isfahan and Tehran, Iran. In this study, 201 infertile women who underwent treatment using ART and 50 infertile women who tended to have surrogacy were chosen by convenience sampling. Zuckerman's Sensation Seeking Scale Form V [SSS-V], Psychological Flexibility Questionnaire [adapted from NEO Personality Inventory-Revised] and Oxford Happiness Questionnaire [OHQ] were used as research instruments. All participants had to complete the research instruments in order to be included in this study. Data were analyzed by descriptive-analytical statistics and statistical tests including multivariate analysis of variance [MANOVA] and Z Fisher. Statistically significant effects were accepted for P<0.05

Results: In the sensation-seeking variable, there was a meaningful difference between under-study groups. However, the flexibility and happiness variables did not have a significant difference between under-study groups [P<0.001]. Interaction between education, employment, and financial status was effective in happiness of infertile women underwent ART [P<0.05], while age, education and financial status were also effective in happiness of infertile women sought surrogacy [P<0.05]. A positive meaningful relationship was seen between sensation seeking and flexibility variables in both groups [P<0.05]. And a negative meaningful relationship was seen between sensation seeking and happiness in infertile women who sought surrogacy [P<0.05]. The difference in rate of relationship between sensation seeking and flexibility was meaningful in infertile women who sought either ART or surrogacy [P<0.05]

Conclusion: Sensations seeking as a personality trait is lower in infertile women who underwent treatment using ART compared women who tended to have surrogacy. This study shows that demographic variables are effective in happiness of infertile women. Also, there is a significant relation among sensation seeking, flexibility and happiness in infertile women

Infertile individuals' marital relationship status, happiness, and mental health: a causal model

This study examined the causal model of relation between marital relationship status, happiness, and mental health in infertile individuals. In this descriptive study, 155 subjects [men: 52 and women: 78], who had been visited in one of the infertility Centers, voluntarily participated in a self-evaluation. Golombok Rust Inventory of Marital Status, Oxford Happiness Questionnaire, and General Health Questionnaire were used as instruments of the study. Data was analyzed by SPSS17 and Amos 5 software using descriptive statistics, independent sample t test, and path analysis. Disregarding the gender factor, marital relationship status was directly related to happiness [p<0.05] and happiness was directly related to mental health, [p<0.05]. Also, indirect relation between marital relationship status and mental health was significant [p<0.05]. These results were confirmed in women participants but in men participants only the direct relation between happiness and mental health was significant [p<0.05]. Based on goodness of model fit in fitness indexes, happiness had a mediator role in relation between marital relationship status and mental health in infertile individuals disregarding the gender factor. Also, considering the gender factor, only in infertile women, marital relationship status can directly and indirectly affect happiness and mental health

[Effectiveness of psychodrama in improving social skills and reducing internet addiction in female students]

This study examined the effectiveness of psychodrama in improving social skills and reducing internet addiction among female students with addiction to internet in Isfahan university. In a semi-experimental study, 36 subjects were selected via convenient sampling which randomly assigned in two groups: 18 as the experimental group and 18 as the control group. The experimental group had received ten sessions of social skills training with psychodrama approach. The internet addiction and social skills were assessed via the Yong's Internet Addiction Test and Social Skills Inventory. The applied intervention was evaluated in three stages: pretest, post-test and a one month follow-up. Data were analyzed by correlation coefficient and analysis of covariance tests. The experimental group demonstrated a significant improvement in social skills [p<0.001] as well as a significant decrease in internet addiction [p<0.001] in comparison with the control group. The interactions between subjects in psychodrama's group, propund of problems in the presence of participants and discovering the ultimate solution with protagonist are critical factors of the mentioned intervention. The results also suggest that psychodrama interventions can be an effective intervention for improving social skills in persons with internet addiction

Social skills and perceived maternal acceptance-rejection in relation to depression in infertile women

This study examines the relationship between infertile women's social skills and their perception of their own mothers' acceptance or rejection, and the role this relationship plays in predicting self-reported depression. This was a correlational study. 60 infertile women aged 25 to 35 years participated in a self-evaluation. A Social Skills Inventory, Parental Acceptance and Rejection Questionnaire and Beck Depression Inventory were used to measure social skills, acceptance rejection and depression. Data was analyzed by SPSS software, using independent two-sample t test, logistic regression, and ANOVA. Findings showed that there are significant differences between depressed and not depressed infertile women in their perceptions of acceptance and rejection by their mothers. Further, women's perceptions of rejection are a more significant predictor of depression among less socially skilled infertile women than among those who are more socially skilled. Less socially skilled women did not show symptoms of depression when they experienced their mothers as accepting. In general the results of this study revealed that poorer social skills were more predictive of depression while good social skills moderate the effect of infertile women's perceptions of their mothers' rejection. At the same time, the findings showed that infertile women's perceptions of acceptance moderated the effects of poorer social skills in predicting depression. Results suggest that the perception of mothers' rejection and poor social skills are the key factors that make infertile women prone to depression