Infertility is a growing area of the medical field and a common problem experienced by couples and individuals during their lifetime. Stress is known to decrease fertility in men and women, and may also impact fertility treatment outcomes. Psychological burden is associated with treatment discontinuation, due to the physical and emotional stress associated with the personal, social, and medical aspects of infertility. A review of the research literature was conducted to examine the impact of infertility on social and psychological domains, as well as identify the relationship between stress, distress, and infertility, to inform how mental health services may improve adjustment to infertility. This review revealed an initial appreciation for the association between stress, distress, and infertility, as well as an identification of mental health needs in this population; however, the heterogeneity of current empirical studies means additional research is necessary to better understand the complexity of this life experience. Based on a synthesis of these studies, a brief guide was created to inform mental health professionals working with individuals and couples experiencing infertility about important treatment considerations, methods of assessment, and recommended psychosocial interventions.
","abstract_html":"<p>Infertility is a growing area of the medical field and a common problem experienced by couples and individuals during their lifetime. Stress is known to decrease fertility in men and women, and may also impact fertility treatment outcomes. Psychological burden is associated with treatment discontinuation, due to the physical and emotional stress associated with the personal, social, and medical aspects of infertility. A review of the research literature was conducted to examine the impact of infertility on social and psychological domains, as well as identify the relationship between stress, distress, and infertility, to inform how mental health services may improve adjustment to infertility. This review revealed an initial appreciation for the association between stress, distress, and infertility, as well as an identification of mental health needs in this population; however, the heterogeneity of current empirical studies means additional research is necessary to better understand the complexity of this life experience. Based on a synthesis of these studies, a brief guide was created to inform mental health professionals working with individuals and couples experiencing infertility about important treatment considerations, methods of assessment, and recommended psychosocial interventions.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Esselstrom, Linnea"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)","degree_level":"Doctoral Project","degree_discipline":"Psychology","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Arechiga, Adam L."],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2014,"date_issued":"2014-05-01T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2014-05-01T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:52:38Z","subjects":["Clinical Psychology","Psychology","Social and Behavioral Sciences","Infertility - Therapy; Infertility - Psychology; Reproductive Techniques - Assisted; Sexual Dysfunction - Physiological; Treatment Outcome; Practice Guidelines","Stress; Treatment Discontinuation; Psychological Burden; Mental Health Services; Psychosocial Interventions"],"languages":["English"],"rights":["This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights."],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/304","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Arechiga, Adam L."]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Esselstrom, Linnea"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Psychology"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Doctoral Project"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Clinical Psychology","Psychology","Social and Behavioral Sciences","Infertility - Therapy; Infertility - Psychology; Reproductive Techniques - Assisted; Sexual Dysfunction - Physiological; Treatment Outcome; Practice Guidelines","Stress; Treatment Discontinuation; Psychological Burden; Mental Health Services; Psychosocial Interventions"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language","label":"Dc Language","values":["English"]},{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights."]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/304"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Infertility is a growing area of the medical field and a common problem experienced by couples and individuals during their lifetime. Stress is known to decrease fertility in men and women, and may also impact fertility treatment outcomes. Psychological burden is associated with treatment discontinuation, due to the physical and emotional stress associated with the personal, social, and medical aspects of infertility. A review of the research literature was conducted to examine the impact of infertility on social and psychological domains, as well as identify the relationship between stress, distress, and infertility, to inform how mental health services may improve adjustment to infertility. This review revealed an initial appreciation for the association between stress, distress, and infertility, as well as an identification of mental health needs in this population; however, the heterogeneity of current empirical studies means additional research is necessary to better understand the complexity of this life experience. Based on a synthesis of these studies, a brief guide was created to inform mental health professionals working with individuals and couples experiencing infertility about important treatment considerations, methods of assessment, and recommended psychosocial interventions.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["A Guide for the Psychosocial Treatment of Infertility"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Arechiga, Adam L."],"dc:creator":["Esselstrom, Linnea"],"dc:description.abstract":["Infertility is a growing area of the medical field and a common problem experienced by couples and individuals during their lifetime. Stress is known to decrease fertility in men and women, and may also impact fertility treatment outcomes. Psychological burden is associated with treatment discontinuation, due to the physical and emotional stress associated with the personal, social, and medical aspects of infertility. A review of the research literature was conducted to examine the impact of infertility on social and psychological domains, as well as identify the relationship between stress, distress, and infertility, to inform how mental health services may improve adjustment to infertility. This review revealed an initial appreciation for the association between stress, distress, and infertility, as well as an identification of mental health needs in this population; however, the heterogeneity of current empirical studies means additional research is necessary to better understand the complexity of this life experience. Based on a synthesis of these studies, a brief guide was created to inform mental health professionals working with individuals and couples experiencing infertility about important treatment considerations, methods of assessment, and recommended psychosocial interventions.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/304"],"dc:language":["English"],"dc:rights":["This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights."],"dc:subject":["Clinical Psychology","Psychology","Social and Behavioral Sciences","Infertility - Therapy; Infertility - Psychology; Reproductive Techniques - Assisted; Sexual Dysfunction - Physiological; Treatment Outcome; Practice Guidelines","Stress; Treatment Discontinuation; Psychological Burden; Mental Health Services; Psychosocial Interventions"],"dc:title":["A Guide for the Psychosocial Treatment of Infertility"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Psychology"],"thesis:degree_level":["Doctoral Project"],"thesis:degree_name":["Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:52:38Z"}