Assisted reproductive treatment: the effects of Pennebaker’s writing technique on pregnancy rates, alexithymia and health.

W.H.O. data report that 15-20% of couples suffer from fertility problems. Aim of this study was to assess the effects of Pennebaker’s writing technique on treatment success (pregnancy rates), alexithymia and psycho-physical health in couples undergoing an assisted reproductive treatment (ART). 91 women admitted for an ART in a medical centre were randomly divided into two groups: an experimental one, where women wrote for three times about their deepest thoughts and emotions concerning the infertility experience, and a control group where women didn’t write. Women and men of both groups completed a socio-demographic questionnaire, the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale and the Symptoms Checklist-90-R before and after the writing sessions. Separated analyses for groups of men and women were conducted. Regarding women, specific effects of writing on alexithymia and psycho-physical health were not found. Reductions in the TAS-20 Total score (p=.06) and in the “Externally-Oriented Thinking” score (p=.01) were found in the group of men whose wives wrote. After the ART a significant difference in pregnancies rates between the experimental group (n=13; 28%) and both the control group (n=5; 11,%) (chi2=4.216; p=.04) and the group of subjects who refused to participate (n=0) (chi2=2.642; p= .006) were reported. The findings support the usefulness of the writing technique during the ART in promoting treatment success and emotional awareness (in male partners) and this is encouraging for the continuation of the work. Clinical implications will be discussed.