Impact of Infertility Induced Stress on Trust dynamics and Marital Satisfaction Among Female Spouses
Keywords:
Infertility Induced Stress, Trust Dynamics, Marital Satisfaction, Female SpousesAbstract
Infertility is a highly stressful experience for female, especially in culturally conservative societies such as Pakistan, where motherhood is necessarily linked with a female's identity and social status. The motive of the research is to examine infertility induced stress and its impact on marital satisfaction and trust issues. A cross-sectional research design was used. The research includes total sample of 110 married females aged (20-45) with primary infertility from both urban and rural areas of Pakistan. Standardized measures such as Fertility Problem Inventory, ENRICH Marital Satisfaction Scale, and Trust Scale were used to measure stress related to infertility, marital satisfaction, and trust issues. Results showed a strong negative relationship between infertility induced stress and marital satisfaction with trust issues being a significant mediator of this relationship. The results showed that trust was a strong predictor of marital satisfaction (β = .27, p < .01), while infertility stress did not emerge as a significant predictor when trust was controlled (β = –.03, p > .05). These findings highlight the role of trust in maintaining marital satisfaction during the psychological turmoil of infertility. The research brings forward the ways in which the emotional strain of infertility exacerbated by societal pressures and internalized stigma can undermine both trust and satisfaction in marital relationships. Contrary to preliminary hypotheses, no notable differences in infertility stress were reported among women from nuclear and joint family structures. These findings underscore the need to incorporate culturally attuned psychological treatment into infertility care, with special attention to strategies for emotional regulation, open communication, and trust building as means of reducing the negative relational consequences suffered by women dealing with infertility.
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