Explaining Structural Relationships between Coping Strategies and Pregnancy Anxiety based on the Intermediary of Tolerance of Ambiguity

There is a high incidence of distressing psychological symptoms, including anxiety in pregnancy. The present study aimed to determine the mediating role of the tolerance of ambiguity in the relationship between coping strategies and pregnancy anxiety.

This was a descriptive correlational study. The statistical population of the study consisted of pregnant women referring to the health centers of the Social Security Organization of Tehran Province, Iran, in the fourth quarter of 2017 and the first quarter of 2018. The sample size was calculated as 384, according to the Cramer formula. The study participants were selected by a multistage cluster sampling technique. The study tools included the Pregnancy-Related Anxiety Questionnaire (Van den Bergh, 1989), the Tolerance of Ambiguity Measure (Mc Lain, 2009), and Coping Styles Questionnaire (Folkman & Lazarus, 1980). To analyze the obtained data, structural equation modeling, and Maximum Likelihood Estimation (MLE) were applied in AMOS. The significance level was set at 0.05.

In this study, the total path coefficient between emotional-focused coping and pregnancy anxiety was positive and significant (p<0.001, β=0.311). Additionally, the total path coefficient between problem-focused coping and pregnancy anxiety was negative and significant (p =0.027, β=-0.149). The direct path coefficient between the tolerance of ambiguity and pregnancy anxiety was negative and significant (p<0.001, β=-0.261). The indirect path coefficient between problem-focused coping and pregnancy anxiety was negative and significant (p<0.001, β=-0.089).

The greater use of the problem-focused coping style in pregnant women reduced the level of ambiguity and concern about unpredictable future situations in them. Eventually, they experienced less anxiety.