Whose fault is it? Blame predicting psychological adjustment and couple satisfaction in couples seeking fertility treatment

Abstract

Infertility bears psychological and relational consequences for couples who face this problem. Few studies have examined the role of self- and partner blaming to explain psychological and relationship adjustment in couple presenting with a fertility problem. This study used a dyadic approach to explore the links between blaming oneself and one’s partner and both partners’ symptoms of depression and anxiety, and couple satisfaction in 279 couples enrolled in fertility treatments. Partners were questioned about the extent to which they blamed themselves and their partner for the fertility problem. They also completed the Dyadic Adjustment Scale and the Index of Psychological Symptoms. Path analyses based on the Actor–Partner Interdependence Model showed that self-blame predicted anxiety and depression symptoms in both men and women. Men’s self-blame also predicted their own lower relationship satisfaction, whereas women’s self-blame predicted more depression and anxiety in their partner. Partner blame in women predicted their own and their partner lower relationship satisfaction. Women’s tendency to blame their partner also predicted their own depression symptoms. Clinical implications of these findings are discussed.

Keywords:

• Anxiety
• blame
• couple
• couple satisfaction
• depression
• fertility

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this article.

Current knowledge on the subject

• Infertility is related to psychological and relationship adjustment in a significant proportion of couples.

• Self-blame and partner blaming are both related to poorer psychological adjustment, but their role in the context of infertility has been seldom investigated.

• Most studies have examined infertility-related adjustment from an individual perspective, but few dyadic studies considering both partners’ perspective have been conducted.

What this study adds

• Partners’ own self-blame for the fertility problem predicted their own depression and anxiety symptoms as well as their own lower relationship satisfaction.

• Self-blame in women predicted their partner’s anxiety and depression symptoms.

• Partner blaming in women predicted their own depression symptoms and lower relationship satisfaction, as well as their partner’s lower relationship satisfaction.

Additional information

Funding

National Health and Development Research Program (Fonds de recherche en Sante du Quebec).