COPING AND ADJUSTMENT TO INFERTILITY

Relations between coping strategies and adjustment to infertility were examined among 96 women and 72 men, including 72 husband-wife pairs. Participants from two samples completed the Ways of Coping Questionnaire and the SCL-90-R. Attempting to cope with infertility through avoidance was associated with more distress for men and women. Women who coped through accepting responsibility for their infertility also were more distressed, and those who mobilized more support were less distressed. Compared to their husbands, wives were less likely to cope through distancing, self-control, and problem solving, and more through mobilizing support and avoidance. Spouses' scores for three coping strategies were positively correlated, and wives who used more self-controlling coping had more distressed husbands. Directions for future research are discussed.