Passage Through Infertility Treatment: A Stage Theory
- 1 September 1990
- journal article
- Published by Wiley in Image: the Journal of Nursing Scholarship
- Vol. 22 (3) , 153-158
- https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1547-5069.1990.tb00199.x
Abstract
This grounded theory study explored the perceptions of 25 couples as they underwent infertility assessment and treatment. A substantive theory of passage through infertility treatment explains the psychosocial responses of couples to their infertility from prediagnosis to posttreatment. The theory consists of three concepts--engagement, immersion and disengagement. Eight stages were identified within these concepts: experiencing a dawning of awareness, facing a new reality, having hope and determination, intensifying treatment, spiralling down, letting go, quitting and moving out, and shifting the focus.Keywords
This publication has 4 references indexed in Scilit:
- Identity of self as infertileAdvances in Nursing Science, 1987
- Naturalistic inquiryInternational Journal of Intercultural Relations, 1985
- Criteria for assessing the trustworthiness of naturalistic inquiriesECTJ, 1981
- The Emotional Needs of Infertile CouplesFertility and Sterility, 1980