The mediating role of couple relationship between family power and depressive symptoms in patients undergoing assisted reproductive treatment：a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Abstract 【Abstract】Background: To investigate the effect of family power on depressive symptoms in patients undergoing assisted reproduction therapy through the couple relationship. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted on couple relationships, family power, and depressive symptoms in 332 patients (253 women, 79 men) treated with IVF/ICSI-ET in the Reproductive Medicine Center of the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University. Results: (1) The total score for depressive symptoms was higher in women than in men, and the depressive symptoms scores were higher in patients with a lower economic income than their spouses and with a lower level of education than their spouses. (2) Family power was positively correlated with couple relationship, negatively correlated with depressive symptoms, and couple relationships were negatively correlated with depressive symptoms. (3) The results of the mediating effect test showed that the mediation effect between family power and depressive symptoms in patients undergoing assisted reproduction treatment had a significant mediating effect, and the mediation effect accounted for 11.62% of the total effect. Conclusions: Family power plays a partial mediating role in the relationship and depressive symptoms, and the relationship can directly or indirectly reduce the depressive symptoms level of patients undergoing assisted reproduction therapy. Medical staff should pay attention to the family situation of the patient's family members in the process of diagnosis and treatment.