Fitting the Causal Model of Marital Relationship Distress Based on the Stigma of Infertility: The Mediating Role of Relational Aggression in Infertile Women

Abstract The aim of this study was to fit the causal model of marital relationship distress based on infertility stigma mediated by relational aggression in infertile women. The research method was descriptive and structural equations. The statistical population of the study consisted of all infertile women who referred to infertility centers and obstetrics and gynecology medical centers in Tehran in the summer of 1400 and due to lack of full access to them 300 people were selected by simple random sampling method and participated in the research through online questionnaire. Data were collected using the Marital Self-Reporting Questionnaire Thakson-Wisman et al. (2009), the Fu et al. (2014) Infertility Stigma, and the Nelson- Carroll (2006) Hidden relational Aggression Questionnaire. Data analysis was performed using structural equation modeling. The results showed that the causal model of the relationship between infertility stigma, relational aggression and marital relationship distress in infertile women was confirmed based on various fit indices. Infertility stigma and associated aggression have a direct effect on the marital turmoil of infertile women; Also, the stigma of infertility through relational aggression has an indirect effect on the marital turmoil of infertile women (P <0.05). It can be effective in reducing the chaos of the marital relationship.