ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Undesirable effects Negative feelings among women with unintended pregnancies may have undesirable effects on pregnancy. However, little is known about the effect of positive feelings and protective factors on prenatal mental health of pregnant women. The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of positive psychology-based interventions (PPI) on the happiness of women with unintended pregnancies. METHODS: This randomized controlled trial that included 40 women with unintended pregnancies was conducted between March and July 2017. The subjects were randomly assigned to receive 10 weekly training sessions based on positive psychology (PPI) (N = 20) or routine prenatal care (N = 20). All subjects received usual prenatal care. The level of happiness and its five domains were measured in three time points: at baseline, immediately after completing the intervention, and 45 days after the end of the intervention. The happiness was assessed using the Oxford Happiness Inventory (OHI). RESULTS: In the intervention group, the mean total OHI score increased from 31.3 (at baseline) to 42.5 (after completing ten sessions of PPI), and the increase remained statistically significant at a 45-day follow-up (39.8); P = 0.001. However, the total OHI score did not change significantly during the follow-up (P = 0.339). Satisfaction with life, self-esteem, and subjective well-being improved significantly after the interventions, whereas the increases observed in the scores of positive mood and self-efficacy dimensions were not significant. CONCLUSION: PPIs can improve happiness and its dimensions among women with unintended pregnancies. It is suggested that healthcare planners help women with unplanned pregnancies adapt by formulating strategies to hold training courses with a positive psychology approach and recognize and promote their positive aspects and strengths.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Studies have shown that quality of life in women with unintended pregnancy is significantly less than the ones with wanted gestation. Therefore, this study was aimed to determine the effect of intervention based on the positive psychology interventions on women's QoL with unintended pregnancies in Kermanshah, Iran. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this randomized clinical trial, 40 women with unintended pregnancy met the eligibility criteria and were randomized into experimental (n = 20) or control (n = 20) groups. The Short-form 36-item Questionnaire (SF-36) was administered at pretest, post-test, and six weeks after the intervention. Positive psychology interventions were performed in each session once a week for 10 weeks, with a duration of 90 minutes. The Friedman test and Mann-Whitney U-test were used to analyze QoL and all eight domains for within-group and between-group comparisons, respectively. The level of confidence was set at 0.05 significant. RESULTS: Distribution of matched variables was not significantly different between the two trial groups. Over the intervention period, the mean of total scores of QoL and seven dimensions showed significant improvement among the experimental group, whereas in the control group, it decreased significantly (P < 0.05). In addition, in the posttest and follow-up stages, the mean score of six dimensions of QoL was higher than the control group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: According to the results of the present study, unintended pregnancy has side effects on QoL in women. Positive counseling interventions can improve the quality of life in women with unintended pregnancy.
