Association among romantic attachment, couple relational characteristics and positive outcome in assisted reproductive treatment

Infertility represents a major life crisis that can negatively affect a couple’s psychosocial health. A supportive relationship and a secure romantic attachment appear to represent protective factors that may reduce the stress arising from the experience and also play an important role in the success of Assisted Reproductive Treatment (ART). The general aim of the study is to investigate the association among romantic attachment, couple characteristics and ART outcome. 76 infertile women (mean age=38.52; sd= 5.58) enrolled in a clinic in Rome completed the Experience in Close Relationship-Revised (ECR-R), the Couple Relationship Inventory (CRI) and a socio-demographic questionnaire. Data analyses showed a significant positive association between ECR-R Anxiety and CRI Idealization/Persecution (r=.246; p<.05) and Mistrust (r=.319; p<.01), and between ECR-RAvoidance and CRI Mistrust (r=.270; p<.05), whereas a significant negative association between ECR-R Avoidance and CRI Attunement (r= .280; p<.05) was found. ART positive outcome was negatively related to ECR-R Avoidance (r=-.247; p<.05) and positively related to CRI Dependence (r=.255; p<.05). A multi-variable logistic regression showed that ECR- R Avoidance decreased the probability of pregnancy (B= -.055; Exp(B)= .95; CI= .900- .996; p<.04). ART success appears to be related to lower levels of fear of dependence and interpersonal intimacy, and to higher abilities in self-disclosure within the romantic relationship and to higher aspects of tenderness and care in the couple. Further investigations are needed also with the aim of developing specific therapeutic interventions in order to promote the quality of couple relationships thereby increasing the rate of successful ART outcomes.