A Qualitative Study of a Couple Experiencing Reproductive Trauma: An Attachment Perspective through a Duoethnography.

STATISTICS; EMPATHY; RESEARCH methodology; COUPLES therapy; POST-traumatic stress disorder; EXPERIENCE; INFERTILITY; ATTACHMENT behavior; ETHNOLOGY research; QUALITATIVE research; AVOIDANCE (Psychology); COMMUNICATION; SOUND recordings; INTERPROFESSIONAL relations; DATA analysis; THEMATIC analysis; REPRODUCTIVE health

Within the academic literature, no ethnographies exist describing reproductive trauma and its effects on couples directly. The purpose of our study is to engage in a duoethnography and examine our own road to secure attachment amidst reproductive trauma. We analyzed 8,478 words of our personal journals, documented intentionally for this study. Thematic analysis revealed that our unprocessed emotions led to decreased empathy, thus enacting avoidant-insecure attachment. However, engaging in empathic communications and spiritual connection enabled more secure couple attachment for us. We propose emotion-focused couples therapy as a best-practice approach for therapists working with couples experiencing reproductive trauma. Clinical implications will be discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Couple & Relationship Therapy is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)