Sexual growth and destiny beliefs: Longitudinal associations with dyadic coping among couples seeking medically assisted reproduction.

BACKGROUND: Medically assisted reproduction is a vulnerable time for couples' sexual health. Believing that sexual challenges can be worked through (i.e., sexual growth beliefs) or that these challenges indicate incompatibility (i.e., sexual destiny beliefs) may be related to dyadic coping-the strategies couples use to cope-with the physical and psychological stressors of medically assisted reproduction. AIM: In the current study we aimed to examine the longitudinal associations between typical (i.e., average) levels of sexual growth and destiny beliefs and positive and negative facets of dyadic coping and how greater than typical levels of these constructs predicted each other across time. METHODS: Couples (n = 219) seeking medically assisted reproduction were recruited for an online longitudinal, dyadic study. OUTCOMES: Couples completed online measures of sexual growth and destiny beliefs and positive and negative dyadic coping at baseline, 6-and 12-months. RESULTS: Random intercept cross-lagged panel models demonstrated that at the within-person level, reporting higher sexual growth beliefs at baseline, relative to their average across time points, was associated with lower negative dyadic coping at 6 months. Higher negative dyadic coping at 6 months, relative to their average, was linked to lower sexual growth beliefs at 12-months. When individuals reported higher sexual destiny beliefs at 6-months, relative to their average, they and their partners reported higher negative dyadic coping at 12 -months. At the between-person level, higher overall levels of sexual destiny beliefs were related to higher overall levels of negative dyadic coping. No associations with positive dyadic coping were identified. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Couples may benefit from identifying and reducing unhelpful beliefs about sex and negative dyadic coping. STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS: Strengths of this study include our large, inclusive sample, engagement of community partners, and novel analytical approach to assess change over time. However, following couples in 6-month increments and not using questionnaires specific to medically assisted reproduction may have limited our ability to detect nuanced changes that couples experience during this time. CONCLUSION: Lower sexual growth and higher sexual destiny beliefs may promote couples' engagement in less adaptive coping behaviors as they seek medically assisted reproduction.

Testing a New Group Intervention for Couples Seeking Fertility Treatment: Acceptability and Proof of Concept.

This study tested the acceptability and preliminary efficacy of a novel group intervention for couples seeking fertility treatment. Twenty-nine couples completed psychological, relational, and sexual outcome measures pre- and post-intervention. Repeated-measures ANOVAs revealed significant reductions in terms of depressive symptoms, rejection of childfree lifestyle, and stress related to the need for parenthood. The results also revealed improvements in marital benefits and fertility-related emotional and relational quality of life. Couples' high participation rates and reported treatment satisfaction indicate adequate acceptability. These results support the preliminary success of the intervention in reducing the psychological and relational burden for couples undergoing fertility treatment.

Predictors of etiological beliefs about panic disorder and impact of beliefs on treatment outcomes.

Little is known about the beliefs people with panic disorder (PD) have about their illness and how these beliefs might influence treatment outcome. This study explored demographic and clinical predictors of etiological beliefs about PD and the impact these beliefs have on treatment response. The sample included 251 outpatients with PD who participated in a randomized placebo-controlled trial of treatments for PD. Regression analyses revealed that sex, duration of PD and family history of psychiatric illnesses predicted biological etiological beliefs, previous history of psychotherapy predicted environmental etiological beliefs, and age, impaired functioning, and measures of "fear of fear" predicted multiple etiological beliefs about PD. Etiological beliefs predicted more severe symptoms at 12 weeks post-treatment, irrespective of the type of treatment received, but had no effect on attrition, treatment adherence or treatment-related adverse effects This study contributes to the sparse literature on etiological beliefs about PD. Results are preliminary and further research is needed to understand more fully the factors that shape etiological beliefs about PD, whether these beliefs change over the course of illness, and the impact etiological beliefs have on treatment outcome.