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Marital Adjustment as a Mediator Between Emotional Suppression and Self‐Compassion in Women Aged 35+ Undergoing In Vitro Fertilization‐Embryo Transfer: A Cross‐Sectional Observational Study

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Objective: This study aimed to investigate the pathways of emotional suppression among women aged 35 years and older undergoing in vitro fertilization‐embryo transfer (IVF‐ET) and to provide a theoretical basis for developing personalized programs to reduce emotional suppression. Methods: A convenience sample of 225 women aged ≥35 years undergoing IVF‐ET at a reproductive centre between May 1st and September 30th, 2023, was selected. The participants completed a self‐designed general information questionnaire, the Emotional Inhibition Scale (EIS), the Locke‐Wallace Marriage Adjustment Test (MAT), and the Self‐Compassion Scale (SCS). Data were analysed using SPSS 27.0 and AMOS 24.0. Normality and homogeneity of variance were assessed, with normally distributed data described as mean ± standard deviation (SD). Pearson correlation, structural equation modeling (SEM), and bootstrap resampling (5000 iterations, 95% confidence intervals [CIs]) were employed to test the mediation effects, with a bootstrap analysis used to assess the stability and significance of indirect effects through repeated sampling. Results: The cohort comprised predominantly Han Chinese (82.2%), first‐married (60.9%), urban‐dwelling (60.4%) women with secondary infertility (68.0%). Over 40.0% of the total held a tertiary educational level, and 67.1% reported per capita monthly income of the family (3001–10,000 RMB). The mean emotional suppression score was 28.65 ± 6.74. Emotional suppression was negatively correlated with marital adjustment ( r = −0.442, p < 0.01) and self‐compassion ( r = −0.393, p < 0.01). SEM with bootstrap validation demonstrated that marital adjustment mediated the relationship between emotional suppression and self‐compassion (mediating effect proportion: 24.89%, 95% CI: −0.115 to −0.027). Conclusion: Marital adjustment mediates emotional suppression and self‐compassion in women aged ≥35 years undergoing IVF‐ET. Fostering positive marital dynamics may alleviate emotional suppression and enhance self‐compassion, promoting psychological resilience during treatment. These findings support targeted interventions to improve patient satisfaction and treatment success rates.

Source: Depression and Anxiety

DOI: 10.1155/da/2100969