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Pregnancy decision making as a significant life event: a commitment approach

J Lydon1, C Dunkel-Schetter, C L Cohan

  • 1Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. jlydon@hebb.psych.mcgill.ca

Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
|July 1, 1996
PubMed
Summary

Pregnancy commitment, influenced by intentionality and meaning, impacts emotional states and decisions. Commitment affects well-being differently for those continuing or terminating a pregnancy.

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Area of Science:

  • Psychology
  • Behavioral Science
  • Reproductive Health

Background:

  • Commitment to goals is influenced by personal values.
  • Stressful life events can impact decision-making and emotional well-being.
  • Pregnancy represents a significant life event with potential psychological sequelae.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine the basis of commitment to pregnancy.
  • To investigate the behavioral and affective outcomes of pregnancy commitment.
  • To explore how commitment influences decisions regarding pregnancy continuation or termination.

Main Methods:

  • Longitudinal study involving 57 women undergoing pregnancy testing.
  • Data collected at three time points: initial clinic visit (T1), after positive test results (T2), and one month later (T3).

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  • Measures included self-reported commitment, intentionality, meaning of pregnancy, affective states, and behavioral outcomes (e.g., smoking).

    • Main Results:

    • Pregnancy intentionality and meaning correlated with initial commitment.
    • Commitment predicted affective states (anxiety, depression, guilt, hostility) at T1 and T2.
    • Initial commitment influenced decisions to continue or terminate the pregnancy.
    • Continuing pregnancy bolstered commitment and reduced smoking; terminating pregnancy linked commitment to poorer adjustment.
    • Specific emotional sequelae varied based on pregnancy continuation decisions.

    Conclusions:

    • Commitment to pregnancy is a significant factor influencing psychological and behavioral outcomes.
    • The decision to continue or terminate a pregnancy interacts with initial commitment to shape adjustment and emotional well-being.
    • Understanding the basis and sequelae of pregnancy commitment is crucial for supporting women through reproductive decisions.