Stress in couples undergoing assisted reproductive technology.

PURPOSE: To determine the associations between pre-treatment self-reported stress level, salivary cortisol levels, and clinical pregnancy outcome in couples undergoing assisted reproductive technology treatment (ART). STUDY DESIGN: Seventy-five couples (150 patients) undergoing ART treatment were enrolled in this study. Psychological variables were assessed using the Perceived Stress Scale, Beck Anxiety Inventory, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and Beck Depression Inventory. Salivary cortisol levels were obtained from each couple prior to commencing gonadotropin treatment at several times (upon waking and at 15, 30, and 60 min after waking). RESULTS: There was no statistically significant association between the self-reported stress levels and the ART treatment outcome in couples. Women with a successful outcome after ART treatment had higher median salivary cortisol levels than women who had an unsuccessful result [24.7 (19.9-63.1) vs. 20.7 (10.4-30.4), respectively]. There was no statistically significant difference in the median salivary cortisol levels of men in relation to ART treatment outcome. Salivary cortisol levels of the couples were not correlated. CONCLUSIONS: Women who had higher median salivary cortisol levels in the pre-treatment period had a higher clinical pregnancy rate. This result suggests that moderately increased activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis during ART treatment might be associated with successful conception.

Does Psychodrama Affect Perceived Stress, Anxiety-Depression Scores and Saliva Cortisol in Patients with Depression?

OBJECTIVE: Little is known about the effects of psychodrama group therapy on the level of stress, anxiety and depression of the group members, and the biological markers of stress. The aim of this study test cortisol level as a biological reflection of some mental characteristics gained by the psychodrama method in coping with stress. METHODS: Depressive patients aged between 18 and 65 years, who diagnosed with depression according to DSM-5, without psychiatric comorbidity, who do not use drugs and were available for psychodrama were enrolled into the study. These patients were evaluated using the Perceived Stress Scale, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and Beck Depression Inventory. In order to observe the circadian rhythm of cortisol, samples were collected from the participants before lunch, before dinner and before going to sleep on the day before psychodrama and on the 0, 15th, and 30th minutes after awakening in the morning of the psychodrama day; as well as just before and after the psychodrama session. Saliva cortisol level just before the initial session of psychodrama group therapy was compared with the saliva cortisol level just after the last psychodrama session at the end of 16 weeks. RESULTS: Statistically significant difference was determined between the scores of perceived stress scale, STAI-1, STAI-2, beck depression inventory and salivary cortisol level before and after psychodrama session. There was significant decrease in both the scale scores and salivary cortisol after vs. before psychodrama. CONCLUSION: This results is important as it shows the biological aspect of clinical improvement. Further studies would provide us with better understanding of the effects of psychodrama group psychotherapy on depressive mood and biological projections by means of short-term and long-term follow-up studies.