The psychometric properties of the Iranian version of revised prenatal coping inventory (Nu PCI) in healthy pregnant women: a confirmatory factor analysis

The effect of counseling on women's coping with unplanned pregnancy

INTRODUCTION

The responses to a life-changing event can be different. The study aimed to determine the effect of counseling on coping strategies among women facing unplanned pregnancy.

METHODS

This quasi-experimental study was conducted on 70 unplanned pregnant women with a gestational age <10 weeks, who scored ≥ 15 in the avoidance pattern of Revised Prenatal Coping Inventory (NU-PCI). The participants were randomly assigned into the intervention and control groups. Three counseling sessions were held for the intervention group. Data were gathered using questionnaires of the women's perceptions of unplanned pregnancy, decision-making style and strategies, NU-PCI, and the checklist for the type of decision. Independent t-tests, ANCOVA, and Chi-square were used.

RESULTS

After intervention, the mean score of the avoidance pattern in the intervention group was significantly lower than that in the control group [AMD: - 4.35, 95% CI: -8.7 to -0.13, P=0.03]. In addition, the continuation rate of pregnancy in the intervention group, 28 subjects (80%), was significantly higher than that in the control group, 21 (60%) (P = 0.03).

CONCLUSION

The counseling leads to a decrease in the use of avoidance strategies among women facing unplanned pregnancies. Development of supportive interventions for women experiencing unplanned pregnancies is recommended specially in societies with induced abortion restrictions.

Effects of supportive counseling using a positive psychology approach on coping patterns among pregnant women with nausea and vomiting

Background

Pregnancy nausea and vomiting (NVP) are associated with a wide range of physical and mental changes in the mothers and could affect their adaptation to pregnancy. There is a gap of knowledge regarding the effectiveness of a positive psychology approach counselling on improving coping patterns in women with NVP.

Objective

This study aimed to determine the effect of supportive counselling with a positive psychology approach on improving coping patterns in women with NVP.

Method

The current study was a randomized controlled trial on 60 pregnant women who experienced nausea and vomiting in Zanjan a province in the northwest of Iran, 2020–2021. Using four-block random sampling, eligible women were randomly assigned to the intervention and control groups. According to the Seligman protocol, the intervention group received supportive counselling in six sessions of 45 min3 times a week. The revised prenatal coping inventory (Nu PCI) was used to collect data and analyzed using Chi-square, repeated measures ANOVA, and MANOVA at a 95% confidence level.

Results

In the counseling group, the mean (SD) of a total score of coping with pregnancy before the intervention was 6.11 (1.31) which increased to 8.40 (1.03) in 4 weeks after the intervention. Based on the MANOVA test with adjusting the number of pregnancies, the mean total score of coping with pregnancy was statistically significant 4 weeks after the intervention compared with the control group (Adjusted mean difference (AMD) = -1.84, CI95% -2.36, -1.32, p = 0.001).

Conclusion

The use of positive psychology in supportive counselling improved the coping of mothers suffering from nausea and vomiting during pregnancy. It is recommended that this approach be incorporated into prenatal care to promote the health of pregnant women.

Trial registration

The study was registered at the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials website under the code IRCT20150731023423N17.

Registration date: 2020–10-31, Expected recruitment start date: 2020–11-01.

IRCT Id: IRCT20150731023423N17.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12884-022-04603-4.

The comparison of sexual function in women with or without experience of female genital circumcision: A case-control study in a Kurdish region of Iran

Studies on the sexual consequences of female genital circumcision are controversial. In this article, we intend to compare the sexual function in women with or without experience of circumcision in the Kurdish region of Mahabad in Iran. In this case-control study 550 women completed the demographic and Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) questionnaires. Female genital circumcision was associated with reduction of lubrication and sexual satisfaction as well as increasing dyspareunia compared to the uncircumcised women. However, there was no significant difference between two groups regarding to arousal, desire and orgasm of women.

Validation of the Italian version of the Revised Prenatal Coping Inventory (NuPCI) and its correlations with pregnancy-specific stress

Background

Pregnancy is a period of happiness but also of physical and psychological changes that can lead to distress. Functional coping strategies can reduce the pregnancy specific-stress. This study aimed to assess the psychometric properties of the Revised Prenatal Coping Inventory (NuPCI) in an Italian sample and to investigate how coping strategies were associated with pregnancy-specific stress.

Methods

In this cross-sectional study, low-risk pregnant women (N = 211) were assessed with NuPCI, NuPDQ (Revised-Prenatal Distress Questionnaire), Brief-COPE (Coping Orientation to the Problems Experienced), and STAI (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory). The reliability of NuPCI was evaluated by assessing its internal consistency and factor structure (with a Confirmatory Factor Analysis, CFA). The concurrent validity between NuPCI and Brief-COPE and NuPDQ and STAI was investigated. Lastly, the relationship between NuPCI and NuPDQ was analyzed, as well as the ability of these scales to predict Apgar score at birth.

Results

Internal consistency of NuPCI scales was good for Planning-Preparation (ɑ_C=0.84) and Spiritual-Positive Coping (ɑ_C=0.81) scales, acceptable for Avoidance (ɑ_C=0.76) scale. Moreover, the original three-factor structure was confirmed using a CFA with 29 of the 32 items (χ²₃₇₄ = 618.06; RMSEA = 0.056, 95% confidence interval: [0.048, 0.063]); CFI = 0.920; and TLI = 0.913). Statistically significant correlations between NuPCI scales and Brief-COPE subscales ranged between r = + 0.217 and r = + 0.624; also, NuPDQ score was positively correlated with STAI scales (State scale: r = + 0.539; Trait scale: r = + 0.462). Concurrent validity was confirmed reporting that NuPDQ score was predicted by NuPCI scores (R² = 0.423, p < 0.001), positively by Avoidance (β=+0.572) and Planning-Preparation (β=+0.215) and negatively by Spiritual-Positive Coping (β=-0.132). Finally, considering the stress, the effect of the Avoidance and Spiritual-Positive Coping scores respectively in decreasing (+ 155%) and increasing (+ 16%) the Apgar score became stronger.

Conclusions

Italian NuPCI has sound psychometric properties and it is a useful coping measure. NuPDQ showed also a good validity. Our results may suggest a significant role for coping strategies, particularly in modulating the condition of the newborn at birth.

Pregnancy-specific coping and changes in emotional distress from mid- to late pregnancy

Objective: To examine whether pregnancy-specific coping predicts changes in emotional distress from mid- to late pregnancy. Background: There is a need to identify ways of coping that reduce or elevate emotional distress in pregnant women as such distress increases the risk of adverse birth outcomes. Methods: 132 women receiving prenatal care from a university hospital midwifery practice were recruited prior to 25 weeks gestation (M = 19.58, SD = 5.14). The state anxiety version of the State-Trait Personality Inventory (STPI) and the Revised Prenatal Distress Questionnaire (NuPDQ) were administered in mid- (M = 25.7 weeks, SD = 4.55) and late (M = 33.4 weeks, SD = 4.18) pregnancy and the Revised Prenatal Coping Inventory (NuPCI) at the latter timepoint. Results: Factor analysis of the NuPCI identified five distinct, conceptually interpretable types of coping: Prayer/Spirituality, Receiving Social Support, Planning/Preparation, Positive Appraisal, and Avoidant Coping. Avoidant Coping was used least frequently and Positive Appraisal was used most. The STPI and NuPDQ were aggregated to create a measure of emotional distress. After controlling for mid-pregnancy distress, Avoidant Coping predicted greater emotional distress in late pregnancy (β = .18, R² = .61, p < .01) and Positive Appraisal predicted lower late pregnancy distress (β = -.15, R² = .60, p < .01). Conclusion: This is one of the first studies to demonstrate that specific ways of coping with stress during pregnancy predict changes in pregnant women's emotional distress. The NuPCI is a psychometrically sound self-report instrument to examine coping and its association with emotional distress.