Antecedents of subjective well-being among infertile couples undergoing in vitro fertilization treatment [Antecedente ale starii de bine subiective in randul cuplurilor infertile care urmeaza tratamentul pentru fertilizarea in vitro]

Infertility among couples is associated with a large number of psychological problems, including low levels of subjective well-being. The present cross-sectional study was planned to explore an integrative model of subjective well-being antecedents among infertile couples undergoing in vitro fertilization treatment. The sample consisted of 85 infertile couples who underwent a single psychological counselling session before medical treatments. Participants completed several standardized measures, in order to capture the level of neuroticism, alexithymia, infertility-related locus of control, irrational cognitions, and stress, overall satisfaction with life, negative emotional disposition, and couple relationship quality. A hypothetical structural model was tested using path analysis with AMOS 20.0. Together, neuroticism, alexithymia, locus of control, and irrational cognitions accounted for almost 50% of the variance in infertility-related stress. Infertility-related stress was a negative predictor of overall satisfaction with life. Moreover, infertility-related stress had a significant contribution to the prediction of negative emotional disposition. Couple relationship quality was also a predictor of subjective well-being. Our results have practical implications for counselors working with infertile couples.