Analysis of the Current Status and Factors Associated With Emotional Inhibition in Infertile Women: A Cross-Sectional Study Based on Structural Equation Modeling
Rong Hu, Lihong Zhang, Sihua ZhaoObjective
This study investigated emotional inhibition in infertile women, identified key associated factors, and explored their interactive effects.
Methods
A cross-sectional study (March-December 2024) recruited 602 infertile women from a tertiary hospital in Northwest China. Data were collected using standardized scales (EIS, SSRS, MCMQ, CBF-PI-15, B-IPQ) and a demographic/clinical questionnaire. Statistical analyses included parametric/non-parametric tests, Pearson correlation, multiple linear regression, and structural equation modeling (SEM).
Results
The mean emotional inhibition score was 29.26±6.29, indicating a moderate level. Key associated factors included occupation, marital type, childlessness, age, neuroticism, extraversion, confrontive/resigned coping, social support, and illness perception. SEM revealed that the associations between neuroticism and emotional inhibition were statistically mediated by resigned coping, social support, and illness perception, while the association between extraversion and emotional inhibition showed statistical mediation involving confrontive coping, social support, and illness perception.
Conclusion
Emotional inhibition in infertile women is moderate and associated with multifaceted factors. Targeted interventions should address maladaptive coping, enhance social support, and reshape illness perceptions to mitigate emotional inhibition.