A Comparative Study on Personality Traits, Temperament, and Interpersonal Attitudes: Fertile vs Infertile Couples.

BackgroundParenthood is a significant life transition, providing couples with a new identity. However, as they work to develop this identity, infertile couples may encounter difficulties related to their sexual and mental well-being. Couples with and without children have different relationship perspectives based on a number of personality traits and interpersonal attitudes. When taking into account the relationship viewpoint in the context of infertility, such factors that affect intimacy, communication, and sexual satisfaction, may be extremely significant. This study explores the differences in personality, temperament, and interpersonal attitudes between couples with and without infertility.MethodThe present investigation employed a nonequivalent comparison group design and included 408 participants (102 infertile couples and 102 fertile couples) drawn from two districts in Bihar, India. The recruitment of participants was made through purposive sampling method. The couples completed the Eyesenck Personality Questionnaire- S, Formal Characteristics of Behavior Temperament Inventory, and Sack's Sentence Completion Test.ResultsThe results reveal that infertile couples group scored significantly higher on neuroticism and psychoticism trait. Further, infertile group scored significantly higher on sensory sensitivity temperament pattern. Additionally, the infertile couples experience significantly greater conflict in family, sexual, interpersonal and self-area.ConclusionCouples going through infertility may be more susceptible to experiencing negative emotions. They may have disturbed family relationships, sexual conflicts, and a poor sense of self-worth in comparison to couples who have achieved parenthood. However, further research is needed to explore the directionality of these associations, as it is also possible that preexisting emotional or relational difficulties contribute to challenges in achieving parenthood.