A Correlational Study Between Attachment Behaviors and Spiritual Health with Stress in Pregnant Women Referred to Healthcare Centers in Qazvin, Iran, in 2015

Abstract

Background: Prenatal stress causes negative health outcomes for the mother and fetus. Hence, investigating coping strategies is essential to reduce such negative effects. Objectives:: The current study aimed to investigate the correlation between attachment behaviors and spiritual health with stress during pregnancy. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 200 pregnant women referred to the health centers affiliated to Qazvin University of Medical Sciences in 2015 are studied. Participants were selected using the multi-stage sampling technique. Data were collected using Paloutzian & Ellison's Spiritual Well-Being Scale, Cranley's Maternal-Fetal Attachment Scale, the Pregnancy Stress Scale, and a researcher-made questionnaire consisting of demographic and midwifery information. Data were analyzed by SPSS version 20 using Pearson’s correlation coefficient and the multivariate linear regression analysis. Results: The mean scores for spirituality, attachment behaviors, and prenatal stress were 104.15 ± 10.59, 95.91 ± 8.9, and 88.92 ± 36.93, respectively. A positive weak correlation was spotted between attachment and stress (P = 0.02, r = 0.15), and spiritual health was found to have a negative, weak but significant association with the financial status (P < 0.001, r = -0. 22) and personal-family (P = 0. 03, r = -0.14) subscales of stress. No significant correlation was observed between spiritual health and the total score of stress (P > 0.05). Conclusion: This study demonstrated that maternal-fetal attachment was correlated with prenatal stress while spiritual health was not correlated with prenatal stress; however, spiritual health could predict some subscales of stress.