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Geburtshilfe Frauenheilkd 2014; 74(11): 1009-1015
DOI: 10.1055/s-0034-1383235
Original Article
GebFra Science
Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Infertility Specific Quality of Life and Gender Role Attitudes in German and Hungarian Involuntary Childless Couples

Infertilitätsbezogene Lebensqualität und persönliches Geschlechtsrollenverhalten infertiler Paare in Deutschland und in Ungarn
R. E. Cserepes
1   Department of Behavioural Sciences, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
,
A. Bugán
1   Department of Behavioural Sciences, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
,
T. Korösi
2   Kaáli Institute, Gyor, Hungary
,
B. Toth
3   Department of Gynaecological Endocrinology and Reproductive Medicine, Womenʼs Hospital, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
,
S. Rösner
3   Department of Gynaecological Endocrinology and Reproductive Medicine, Womenʼs Hospital, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
,
T. Strowitzki
3   Department of Gynaecological Endocrinology and Reproductive Medicine, Womenʼs Hospital, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
,
T. Wischmann
4   Institute of Medical Psychology, Centre for Psychosocial Medicine, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

received 27 July 2014
revised 09 October 2014

accepted 10 October 2014

Publication Date:
26 November 2014 (online)

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Abstract

Introduction: As gender role attitudes and the evaluation of parenthood and childlessness have subtle variations in each society, cross-country studies focusing on infertility are needed to draw a complex picture in the psychosocial context of infertility. This study investigates similarities and differences between German and Hungarian infertile couples regarding infertility specific quality of life and personal gender role attitudes. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with data of 540 participants (270 couples) attending the first fertility consultation in one fertility clinic in Germany and in five fertility clinics in Hungary. Data were collected between February 2012 and March 2013. Two psychological questionnaires were applied: The FertiQoL to measure infertility specific quality of life and the PAQ to measure gender role attitudes like “instrumental” acting (as a traditional “masculine” attitude) and “expressive” communicating (as a traditional “femine” attitude) and their combinations “combined” attitude (as both “instrumental” and “expressive”) and “neutral” attitude (neither “instrumental” nor “expressive”). Results: German couples seeking assisted reproduction treatment are older aged and have longer lasting relationships than Hungarian couples. Hungarian couples scored higher on all quality of life scales than did German couples. In the Hungarian group, “combined” attitudes (use of both “expressive” and “instrumental” attitudes) is associated with higher levels of quality of life compared with other gender role attitudes. In the German group, individuals with “combined” attitudes seem to show better quality of life than those in “expressive” and “neutral” clusters. Conclusions: The strategy of using combined “expressive” and “instrumental” attitudes proved to act as a buffer against infertility-related stress for both members of the couple in two European countries and can therefore be recommended as helpful in counselling the infertile couple.

Zusammenfassung

Einführung: Da Geschlechtsrollenverhalten und die Bewertung von Elternschaft und Kinderlosigkeit in jeder Gesellschaft variieren, sind ländervergleichende Studien zu den psychosozialen Aspekten von Fertilitätsstörungen nötig, um diese komplexen Zusammenhänge abzubilden. In dieser Studie werden gemeinsame und unterschiedliche Aspekte bezüglich infertilitätsbezogener Lebensqualität und persönlichem Geschlechtsrollenverhalten infertiler Paare in Deutschland und in Ungarn untersucht. Material und Methode: 540 Personen (270 Paare) mit Erstkontakt in einem Kinderwunschzentrum (1 deutsches und 5 ungarische Zentren) nahmen an dieser Querschnittsstudie teil. Die Datenerhebung erfolgte zwischen Februar 2012 und März 2013. Zwei psychologische Fragebögen wurden verwendet: Der FertiQoL zu Erfassung infertilitätsspezifischer Lebensqualität und der PAQ zur Erfassung von Geschlechtsrollenverhalten wie „instrumentell“ handelnd (als traditionell „maskuline“ Verhaltensweise) und „expressiv“ mitteilend (als traditionell „feminine“ Verhaltensweise) sowie deren Kombinationen „kombiniertes“ Verhalten (Gebrauch von sowohl „expressiven“ als auch „instrumentellen“ Verhaltensweisen) und „neutrales“ Verhalten (Gebrauch von weder „expressiven“ noch „instrumentellen“ Verhaltensweisen). Ergebnisse: Das Alter und die Partnerschaftsdauer lagen bei den deutschen Paaren unserer Studie im Vergleich zu den ungarischen Paaren durchschnittlich höher. Ungarische Paare wiesen höhere Werte auf allen Lebensqualitätsskalen im Vergleich zu den deutschen Paaren auf. In der ungarischen Studiengruppe scheint „kombiniertes“ Verhalten (Gebrauch von sowohl „expressiven“ als auch „instrumentellen“ Verhaltensweisen) mit höherer Lebensqualität zusammenzuhängen, verglichen mit anderen Verhaltensweisen. Bei deutschen Studienteilnehmern zeigt „kombiniertes“ Verhaltensweisen einen Zusammenhang mit höherer Lebensqualität, verglichen mit „expressiven“ und „neutralen“ Verhaltensweisen. Diskussion: Die Strategie des Gebrauchs von sowohl expressiven als auch instrumentellen Verhaltensweisen erwies sich als funktionierender „Puffer“ gegenüber infertilitätsspezifischem Stress für beide Partner in 2 europäischen Ländern und kann daher in der Kinderwunschberatung als hilfreich empfohlen werden.

Key words

infertility - quality of life - gender roles - Germany - Hungary

Schlüsselwörter

Infertilität - Lebensqualität - Geschlechtsrollen - Deutschland - Ungarn
 

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