Thesis
Mental health, stress, and provider care in female fertility treatment: differences across sexual orientation and gender identity
Master of Science (M.S.), Drexel University
Jun 2021
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17918/00000762
Abstract
Many adults view their lives as a series of milestones. One of the largest and most culturally universal of these landmarks is the experience of parenthood. For people with female biology, the role of motherhood may be integral to one's identity; however, the path to biological parenthood is not always linear. As of 2018, 33% of Americans had received fertility treatments themselves, or knew someone who had. Many within this population have a diagnosed fertility problem, which may involve female factors, male factors, or both. It is additionally important to note that for the LGBTQIA+ community, fertility treatment is often a necessity to achieve parenthood. The experience of fertility treatment in this population, as compared to their heterosexual/cisgender counterparts, is vastly understudied. The current study examined how fertility treatment due to medically diagnosed fertility problems or biological reproductive incompatibility impacts associated stress, depression, anxiety, and healthcare provider experience. The study evaluated responses from both LGBTQIA+ and heterosexual/cisgender populations. Female participants currently undergoing fertility treatment were recruited online. Participants self-reported demographic information, anxiety and depressive symptoms, healthcare provider experience, fertility-related stress, and appraised importance of motherhood. Hierarchical regression was used to analyze the percent of explained variance in fertility-related stress by identification as LGBTQIA+, existence of a medical fertility problem, importance of motherhood, and interpersonal aspects of provider care. Independent samples t-tests were used to analyze the relationship between sexuality and mental health symptomology (e.g., anxiety and depression). Additional exploratory analyses were also performed.
Metrics
46 File views/ downloads
48 Record Views
Details
- Title
- Mental health, stress, and provider care in female fertility treatment
- Creators
- Navy Colleen Spiecker
- Contributors
- Pamela A. Geller (Advisor)
- Awarding Institution
- Drexel University
- Degree Awarded
- Master of Science (M.S.)
- Publisher
- Drexel University; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Number of pages
- x, 100 pages
- Resource Type
- Thesis
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Psychological and Brain Sciences (Psychology); College of Arts and Sciences; Drexel University
- Other Identifier
- 991015104348804721