Stress Reduction
Conditions
Keywords
Infertility, Distress, Coping, Men
Brief summary
The purpose of this study is to determine if the use of a new app, FertiStrong, is associated with decreased levels of anxiety and depression in men who have infertility or whose partner has infertility.
Detailed description
Individuals who are experiencing infertility report high levels of anxiety and depression. A recent study (1) documented that both men and women involved in the treatment of infertility expressed emotional distress. Research on the female partner of an infertile couple documents that psychological interventions, especially those with a cognitive-behavior therapy (CBT) focus, are associated with significant decreases in levels of anxiety and depression (2). Subsequent research has also shown that both members of the infertile couple definitively underutilize the psychological services offered to them. Thus, new ways to provide psychological relief to these individuals is needed. This has lead to the development of a new app, FertiStrong. This app is targeted at men- either men with infertility or men whose partner has infertility. Study Requirements: 1. Study participants will be asked to complete an on-line questionnaire. 2. Once completed, the study participant will be randomly assigned to one of two groups. One group will be provided the mobile app to use for 30 days. The second group will be provided the app after 30 days. 3. After the 30 day period, each group will be asked to complete a follow-up questionnaire. Each questionnaire will take approximately 15-20 minutes to compete. Men who are directly seeking care or whose partners is seeking care at any Fertility Center of Illinois location are invited to participate.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALFertiStrong App
The FertiStrong mobile app is similar to FertiCalm, which is designed for women with infertility. FertiCalm (www.FertiCalm.com) can be downloaded for free anywhere in the US, for both Apple and Android phones. Each app contains twelve main categories and each main category contains up to five tailored situations. For each situation, there are six options. Three of the options are the same for all situations (humor, self-nurture, relaxation) and three are unique (cognitive solutions, behavioral solutions, social solutions).
Sponsors
Fertility Centers of Illinois
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
FACTORIAL
Primary purpose
SUPPORTIVE_CARE
Masking
SINGLE (Outcomes Assessor)
Masking description
Participant assignment will be masked for data analysis
Intervention model description
Comparison of distress scores between the intervention group and the control group
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
MALE
Age
18 Years to 55 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* All men who are receiving care, or whose partner is receiving care, at Fertility Centers of Illinois during the study period.
Exclusion criteria
1. Does not have daily access to a smart phone 2. Does not read or understand English
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Anxiety and Depression in Men Experiencing Infertility | 6 months post study completion | Evaluation of pre and post Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scores |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Stress Levels in Men Experiencing Infertility | 6 months post study completion | Fertility related distress will be measured using the Fertility Problem inventory (FPI) |
Countries
United States
Contacts
Primary ContactLauren Jasulaitis, CRC
Backup ContactSue Jasulaitis, RN MSN
Outcome results
None listed