Background: Infertility and In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) treatment impose significant psychological burden on couples, manifesting as elevated stress, anxiety, depression, and marital discord. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) has demonstrated efficacy in addressing psychological distress across various clinical populations.
Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of CBT on mental health symptoms, marital adjustment, quality of life, and psychological well-being in infertile couples undergoing IVF treatment.
Method: A pre-post intervention design was employed with 120 participants (60 couples) undergoing IVF treatment from various fertility clinics in Delhi and National Capital Region (NCR) including Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad, Faridabad, and Gurgaon. Both partners participated in structured CBT sessions. Standardized psychological assessment tools were administered before and after the intervention, including the General Health Questionnaire-28 (GHQ-28), Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DAS-21), Dyadic Adjustment Scale, World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHO-QOL) scale, and Ryff's Psychological Well-being Scale. Data were analyzed using Wilcoxon signed-rank tests due to non-normal distribution of difference scores.
Result: Total 120 participants (60 males, 60 females) participated in this research. Significant improvements were observed across all measured domains post-CBT intervention. GHQ-28 Total scores decreased from 56.47±8.26 to 42.52±7.33 (p<0.001, Cohen's d=-2.51), indicating reduced general psychological distress. DAS-21 Total scores showed significant reduction from 41.77±7.02 to 31.38±5.84 (p<0.001, d=-2.03). Marital Adjustment Total improved from 30.46±10.82 to 32.98±10.83 (p<0.001, d=5.04). Quality of life (WHO-QOL Total) increased from 34.69±11.12 to 37.09±11.04 (p<0.001, d=2.99). Psychological well-being (Ryff Total) showed significant enhancement from 6.02±2.65 to 8.38±2.77 (p<0.001, d=2.96). All changes demonstrated large effect sizes. Gender-wise analysis revealed similar patterns of improvement for both male and female partners.
Conclusion: To conclude from the study, CBT significantly reduces psychological distress and enhances marital adjustment, quality of life, and psychological well-being in infertile couples undergoing IVF treatment. These findings support the integration of CBT as a standard component of comprehensive fertility care to address the psychological challenges associated with infertility and assisted reproduction.
Keywords: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Infertility, In Vitro Fertilization, Mental Health, Marital Adjustment, Quality of Life, Psychological Well-being
How to cite this article: Chadha S, Srivastava R, Aggarwal A, Effects of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy on Mental Health, Marital Adjustment, Quality of Life, and Psychological Well-Being in Infertile Couples Undergoing In Vitro Fertilization: A Pre-Post Intervention Study. Int J Drug Deliv Technol. 2026;16(3s): 67-78; DOI: 10.25258/ijddt.16.3s.1