In the first phase of this study, the cluster analysis results of 208 WEM provided initial empirical support for this typology. Three subtypes of WEM were identified. They were "Adjusted Women" (AW, N = 54, 26%), "Dysphoric/Mixed Type Women" (DW, N = 57, 27%), and "Gender-Bound Women" (GW, N = 97, 47%). Partially supporting the hypothesis, GW experienced the worst adjustment as reflected in their high level of perinatal grief symptoms compared to AW and DW. Further examination of the demographic characteristics of each WEM subtype showed that while DW reported relatively stronger personality (i.e., trait anxiety, trait depression, and neurotic personality) and cultural vulnerabilities (i.e., traditional ideal personhood and self-sacrifice) compared to AW, GW's reports of personality and cultural vulnerabilities faked the worst among the 3 WEM subtypes. Cluster-constrained hierarchical regression analyses revealed a distinct set of predictors for immediate postloss adjustment of AW, DW, and GW. Instead of a complete nested model, the present data fitted a partially nested model where AW were nested within GW, and DW represented a mixed type of WEM. Specifically, AW's perinatal grief was affected by pregnancy factors whereas GW's was affected by pregnancy, personality, and cultural factors. DW's perinatal grief was not affected by pregnancy factors but by personality and cultural factors. / In the fourth phase of this study, pregnancy, personality, and cultural factors as well as spousal emotional social support were reexamined for their possible implications for WEM's and the pregnant controls' psychological distress, state anxiety symptoms, and state depressive symptoms at 6 months following the initial assessment. The results showed that spousal emotional support at a 6-month follow up was a salient predictor of psychological distress state anxiety symptoms, and state depressive symptoms at 6 months after the initial assessment for both WEM and the pregnant controls While spousal emotional support at the initial assessment did not have the same effect, this result suggested that to mitigate the longer term poor psychological adjustment of WEM and pregnant women, sustained spousal emotional support is needed. Trait anxiety at the initial assessment was also a strong predictor of WEM's psychological distress, state anxiety symptoms, and state depressive symptoms at 6 months post miscarriage. Pregnancy factors at the initial assessment were only moderately related to the psychological adjustment of WEM and the pregnant controls, and cultural factors at the initial assessment were not related to any of the adjustment indicators at the 6-month follow up. (Abstract shortened by UMI.) / In the second phase of this study, comparisons were made between the 3 WEM subtypes and women with healthy uncomplicated pregnancy (pregnant controls, N = 258). The results showed that the 3 WEM subtypes experienced varying levels of adjustment problems---that is, psychological distress, state anxiety symptoms, and depressive symptoms---compared to the pregnant controls. GW, in particular, were 8 times more likely to be classified as psychological distress caseness and 4 times more likely to be classified as state anxiety caseness and state depression caseness, even after controlling for pregnancy factors and spousal emotional social support. / In the third phase of this study, the author attempted to establish predictive validity of the proposed WEM typology using 6-month 2-wave longitudinal data A subsample from Phase One and Phase Two of this study, including 103 WEM (AW = 33, 32%; DW = 27, 26%; GW = 43, 42%) and 139 pregnant controls, provided information on their psychological distress, state anxiety symptoms and depressive symptoms, as well as on their motivation to reproduce at 6 months after the initial interview. Although GW were significantly more likely than AW and DW to report being pregnant or having the intention to conceive at 6 months post miscarriage, no significant differences were observed between the 3 WEM subtypes in their psychological distress, state anxiety symptoms, and state depressive symptoms. / The present 4-phase study was an attempt to propose an integrated conceptual model to advance understanding of Chinese women's adjustment to miscarriage; that is the perinatal grief symptoms, psychological distress, state anxiety symptoms, and depressive symptoms they experience in response to miscarriage. Through a comprehensive review of sociobiological theory, attachment theory, psychoanalytic theory and the feminist perspective, the author proposes a conceptual model involving 3 major pathways, namely pregnancy, cultural, and personality factors. It was hypothesized that 3 subtypes of women who experienced miscarriage (WEM) (Adjusted Women, AW; Dysphoric Women, DW; Gender Bound Women, GW) could be identified with each subtype being affected by a combination of different factors. Specifically, it was hypothesized that AW would be affected by pregnancy factors, DW by pregnancy and personality factors, and GW by pregnancy, personality, and cultural factors. / Yan Chau Wai Elsie. / "June 2007." / Adviser: Catherine So-Kum Tang. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 69-01, Section: B, page: 0705. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 104-120). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. [Ann Arbor, MI] : ProQuest Information and Learning, [200-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstract in English and Chinese. / School code: 1307.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:cuhk.edu.hk/oai:cuhk-dr:cuhk_344018 |
| Date | January 2007 |
| Contributors | Yan, Chau Wai Elsie., Chinese University of Hong Kong Graduate School. Division of Psychology. |
| Source Sets | The Chinese University of Hong Kong |
| Language | English, Chinese |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text, theses |
| Format | electronic resource, microform, microfiche, 1 online resource (ix, 122 p. : ill.) |
| Rights | Use of this resource is governed by the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons “Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International” License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/) |
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