Psychological Resilience as the Mediating Factor Between Stigma and Social Avoidance and Distress of Infertility Patients in China: A Structural Equation Modeling Analysis

Background: Stigma, social avoidance and distress may seriously affect the quality of life of infertility patients. Psychological resilience has been proved to effectively combat psychological stress. This study aimed to explore the mediating role of psychological resilience between stigma and social avoidance and distress (SAD) in females with an unfulfilled wish for a child. Methods: Stigma Scale, Social Avoidance and Distress Scale (SADS), and Psychological Resilience Scale were used to evaluate 266 females with infertility. Structural equation model was used to test the mediating effect of psychological resilience on the relationship between stigma and SAD. Results: The SADS, stigma scores, and psychological resilience scores of 266 females with infertility were 13.36 +/- 5.77, 77.84 +/- 16.91, and 58.84 +/- 12.24 points, respectively. The stigma scores were positively correlated with SADS, and negatively correlated with psychological resilience scores. The psychological resilience scores were negatively correlated with SADS. Psychological resilience played a partially mediating role between the stigma and SAD of infertility patients, and the mediating effect accounted for 25.5% of the total effect. Conclusion: Psychological resilience had a partial mediating effect on the relationship between stigma and SAD, and could reduce the negative effect of stigma on the development of SADS. Therefore, positive psychological interventions improving psychological resilience might help to reduce stigma and improve SAD in infertility patients.