Background: The infertility condition can cause a profound psychological discomfort and a variety of psychopathological symptoms. The diagnosis and the related treatments can represent a traumatic experience and a difficult emotional challenge for people involved. The present work aims to explore the linguistic characteristics of autobiographical memories, indicators of the ability to cope with present and past painful experiences, of infertile women undergoing Assisted Reproductive Treatment. Methods: 44 women (mean age=36.05; sd=4.66) enrolled in a fertility medical centre in Rome completed a brief socio-demographic questionnaire and a semi-structured interview aimed to collect their memories on a neutral, a positive and a negative event and a) on how they realized to have fertility problems and b) an episode when they talked about these difficulties with their partner. The interviews were audio recorded and transcribed and the text analyzed through the Referential Process (RP) linguistic measures via IDAAP software. Results: In the narratives related to the awareness of suffering of fertility problems women reported higher scores in the Weighted Referential Activity Dictionary (WRAD) (p=.001) and Weighted Reflection and Reorganization List (WRRL) (p=.001) than in narratives of neutral event; higher WRAD (p=.04) than in narratives of positive episode; lower Sensory Somatic (SenS) scores than those regarding the negative episode and lower WRRL (p=.02) than in narratives regarding the discussion about the fertility problems with the partner. In the narrative exploring the discussion with the partner women reported higher scores in WRRL and lower in the WRAD (both p=.001) than in neutral event, higher in the WRRL (p=.05) than in the positive event and lower SenS (p=.01) than in the negative episode. Conclusions: Present findings highlight different capabilities in symbolizing and reflection/reorganization process according to the specific nature of the episode. Women appear to be engaged in an elaboration process of their experience of infertility/parenthood seeking. Further studies are needed to confirm these preliminary findings.
Autobiographical Memories in women undergoing assisted reproductive technology treatment: an analysis through the Referenctial Activity linguistic program / Renzi, Alessia; Mariani, Rachele; Fedele, Fabiola; D’Amelio, Renzo; DI TRANI, Michela; Mazzoni, Giuliana. - In: MEDITERRANEAN JOURNAL OF CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY. - ISSN 2282-1619. - (2023), pp. 383-384. (Intervento presentato al convegno XXIII National Congress Italian Psychological Association Clinical and Dyamic Section tenutosi a Firenze).
Autobiographical Memories in women undergoing assisted reproductive technology treatment: an analysis through the Referenctial Activity linguistic program
Alessia Renzi
;Rachele Mariani;Fabiola Fedele;Renzo D’Amelio;Michela Di Trani;Giuliana Mazzoni
2023
Abstract
Background: The infertility condition can cause a profound psychological discomfort and a variety of psychopathological symptoms. The diagnosis and the related treatments can represent a traumatic experience and a difficult emotional challenge for people involved. The present work aims to explore the linguistic characteristics of autobiographical memories, indicators of the ability to cope with present and past painful experiences, of infertile women undergoing Assisted Reproductive Treatment. Methods: 44 women (mean age=36.05; sd=4.66) enrolled in a fertility medical centre in Rome completed a brief socio-demographic questionnaire and a semi-structured interview aimed to collect their memories on a neutral, a positive and a negative event and a) on how they realized to have fertility problems and b) an episode when they talked about these difficulties with their partner. The interviews were audio recorded and transcribed and the text analyzed through the Referential Process (RP) linguistic measures via IDAAP software. Results: In the narratives related to the awareness of suffering of fertility problems women reported higher scores in the Weighted Referential Activity Dictionary (WRAD) (p=.001) and Weighted Reflection and Reorganization List (WRRL) (p=.001) than in narratives of neutral event; higher WRAD (p=.04) than in narratives of positive episode; lower Sensory Somatic (SenS) scores than those regarding the negative episode and lower WRRL (p=.02) than in narratives regarding the discussion about the fertility problems with the partner. In the narrative exploring the discussion with the partner women reported higher scores in WRRL and lower in the WRAD (both p=.001) than in neutral event, higher in the WRRL (p=.05) than in the positive event and lower SenS (p=.01) than in the negative episode. Conclusions: Present findings highlight different capabilities in symbolizing and reflection/reorganization process according to the specific nature of the episode. Women appear to be engaged in an elaboration process of their experience of infertility/parenthood seeking. Further studies are needed to confirm these preliminary findings.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
