Perception of stress, cognitive appraisal and self-mastery among women with/without children, who are in early stages of fertility treatments and their contribution to meaning in life and life satisfaction.

The Israeli society puts great emphasis on family values. Hence, one of the main gender expectations of women is to become mothers. As a result, many women perceive motherhood to be a central component of their identity, providing meaning and purpose to their lives and contributing to their life satisfaction. Given these expectations, difficulties to conceive may lead to stressful reactions among women with or without children. The current study aimed to examine how perception of stress, cognitive appraisal (threat, challenge and self-efficacy) and self-mastery contribute to a sense of meaning in life and life satisfaction among women with/without children in the early stages of fertility treatments.

The sample was composed of 145 women who arrived at fertility clinics for the first time. The study questionnaire included scales assessing perception of stress, cognitive appraisal, self-control, life satisfaction, meaning in life and personal and medical background information.

No significant differences were found between the two groups of women in the current set of variables, however as hypothesized, the associations between self-mastery and cognitive appraisals of threat and self-efficacy were mediated by the perception of stress. In other words, higher levels of self-control were associated with lower levels of stress which, in turn, were associated with lower appraisal of threat. Similarly, higher levels of self-mastery were associated with lower levels of stress and higher cognitive appraisal of self-efficacy. Additionally, the findings suggest that self-mastery and stress contribute directly to life satisfaction and meaning in life. Higher levels of self-mastery and lower levels of stress were associated with greater life satisfaction and meaning in life. Contrary to the study hypothesis, the current set of variables did not contribute to explaining the variance of the search for meaning in life. Additionally, the association between perception of stress and search for meaning in life was mediated by cognitive appraisal of threat, so that higher levels stress were associated with greater appraisal of threat which, in turn, were associated with less search for meaning in life.

The current study is the first to examine the very early stages of fertility treatments. The findings suggest that it is important for the interdisciplinary staff at fertility clinics to address the psychological aspects of women undergoing fertility treatments already at the first point of contact with the clinics. The finding that cognitive appraisal of threat mediates the association between perception of stress and search for meaning in life emphasizes the importance of addressing the way in which women perceive their need for fertility treatments as threatening. Additionally, the findings suggest that the interdisciplinary staff should address the positive aspects of coping with the stress associated with fertility treatments, specifically the sense of meaning in life and life satisfaction.