DOI: 10.4103/jehp.jehp_663_25 ISSN: 2277-9531

A randomized controlled clinical trial of the effect of positive psychology on childbearing Intention and Stages of behavior change in reproductive age women

Tahereh T. Teymourloei, Esmat Mehrabi, Roghaiyeh Nourizadeh, Alireza Mortazavi
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BACKGROUND:

In contemporary societies, delayed childbearing and declining fertility rates have emerged as prominent reproductive behavior patterns globally. This demographic shift has precipitated significant population aging trends, presenting substantial socioeconomic challenges. This study aimed to investigate the effect of positive counseling on childbearing intention and stages of behavior change among women.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

This study employed a two-arm randomized clinical controlled trial on married women unwilling to conceive within two years following marriage until the next two years. The exclusion criteria encompassed contraindications to pregnancy such as cardiovascular diseases, autoimmune disorders, severe psychiatric conditions, a history of hysterectomy, and similar factors. Initially, one-fifth of 88 health centers across various city districts were selected using simple random sampling to ensure socioeconomic diversity. Then, participants were recruited using convenience sampling method from 88 health centers. The participants were assigned into two groups ( n = 27per group) with a ratio of 1:1 with block size of 6 using Random Allocation Sampling (RAS) software. The intervention group attended seven weekly group counseling based on positive psychology. The childbearing intention and stage of behavior change questionnaires were completed before and 4 weeks after the intervention. To compare the mean scores of outcomes, the ANCOVA statistical test was used. The Chi-square test was used for comparison of stages of behavior change in childbearing.

RESULTS:

The results indicated that after counseling, the overall mean score of childbearing intention [Adjusted Mean Difference (AMD): 8.58, 95% CI: (5.18–11.99), P < 0.001] significantly increased in the intervention group compared to the control group. A statistically significant difference was observed between the two groups in terms of the frequency of the stages of childbearing behavior change after the intervention ( P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS:

This study provides empirical evidence supporting the integration of positive psychology-based counseling into public health interventions aimed at addressing declining fertility rates.

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