Abstract

Background: Today, due to increased infertility in couples and a lack of guardianship of orphan children, much attention has been drawn on adoption. This study aimed to compare mental health and parenting practices in infertile couples seeking adoption by childless couples and test the following hypotheses:

The parental style (aggressive, authoritarian, permissive) adoption by infertile couples seeking couples without children there is a significant difference.The indicators of mental health (physical symptoms, anxiety and insomnia, social dysfunction, depression) adoption by infertile couples seeking couples without children there is a significant difference.

Methods: The study design is descriptive. The study population included all couples applying for adoption in 2013, which have been referred to Legal Medicine Center of Khorasan-e-razavi. 51 couples to the research criteria were selected by convenience sampling method and completed a questionnaire on mental health and parenting practices. The questionnaire was administered to the control group. Data by SPSS version19 nineteenth and using independent t-test and covariance (Mankova) were analyzed.

Findings: Between the study and control group in terms of mental health and parenting practices, there are significant differences (p<0.05). So that somatic symptoms, anxiety and insomnia, social dysfunction and depression in couples seeking couples without children were more children and authoritarian parenting style and child applicant couples were less conclusive and permissive parenting style involves a significant difference between the two groups.

Conclusion: Results showed that there are significant differences in mental health and parenting practices with children, couples seeking couples without children. To justify this conclusion, we can say that the stress of infertility and lack of adequate training in parenting can lead to mental health issues, psychological interventions to be appropriate, therefore, parenting skills training for groups can be scheduled by the relevant authorities.