This research examines gender differences in response to counseling for issues related to infertility. A couple seeking counseling for infertility-related issues was given a letter of introduction, a demographic survey along with a pretest at the onset of their first appointment and a post-test after two sessions with their counselor. Both the pre and post-tests were the same, the WALMYR Indices of Marital Satisfaction, Self-Esteem and Clinical Stress.
The support group for infertile couples was led by a local infertility counselor who used an eclectic/experiential therapeutic approach. Therapists using this methodology function as an educator and a facilitator in addressing problems and issues with an orientation that combines behavioral, interpersonal, effectual and cognitive perspectives. The objective is to assist couples struggling with infertility in processing their feelings via mutual support from others experiencing similar difficulties.
The comparison between the husband and wife’s scores on marital satisfaction, self-esteem, and level of stress revealed the wife’s scores on levels of stress and marital satisfaction did have a marked improvement after the counseling intervention, though her self-esteem score dropped markedly after the counseling. Her husband had little to no improvement in the three areas, with stress as the area with some improvement.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:auctr.edu/oai:digitalcommons.auctr.edu:dissertations-4390 |
| Date | 01 May 1997 |
| Creators | Rawn, Marjorie O. |
| Publisher | DigitalCommons@Robert W. Woodruff Library, Atlanta University Center |
| Source Sets | Atlanta University Center |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | ETD Collection for AUC Robert W. Woodruff Library |
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