The demographic variables presented in Table 2 show the lack of a significant difference between the ACT (22.6 ± 1.515) and control (22.1 ± 1.383) groups (P = 0.205) in terms of the mean age. For the main outcomes of the study (anxiety and quality of life), the presumption of normality was established using Shapiro-Wilk test for all variables (P > 0.05) (Tables 3 and 4 and Figure 1).
| Variable | ACT (N = 20) | Control (N = 21) | P Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age | 22.6 ± 1.515 | 22.1 ± 1.383 | 0.205b |
| Parity | 1.2 ± 0.4 | 1.4 ± 0.5 | 0.6b |
| Number of living children | 0.3 ± 0.6 | 0.4 ± 0.5 | 0.089b |
| Spouse’s age | 25.3 ± 4.028 | 25.3 ± 3.805 | 0.970b |
| Spouse’s education | 0.06c | ||
| University | 3 (14.3) | 8 (40) | |
| Non-university | 18 (85.7) | 12 (60) | |
| Occupation | 0.42c | ||
| Housewife | 19 (95.5) | 20 (95.2) | |
| Employed | 0 (0) | 1 (4.8) | |
| Self-employed | 1 (5) | 0 (0) | |
| Education | 0.061c | ||
| University | 8 (40) | 4 (19) | |
| Non-university | 12 (60) | 17 (81) | |
| Spouse’s occupation | 0.51c | ||
| Worker | 8 (40) | 12 (57.2) | |
| Employed | 4 (20) | 2 (9.5) | |
| Self-employed | 8 (40) | 3 (33.3) | |
| Type of pregnancy | 0.738c | ||
| Planned | 18 (90) | 18 (85.7) | |
| Unplanned | 2 (10) | 3 (14.3) |
aValues are expressed as mean ± SD or No. (%).
bt-test.
cFisher exact test.
| Pregnancy-Related Anxiety | ACT | Control | P Value Group | P Value Time | P Value Time × Group |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Self-centered fears or fear of changes in the personal life of the mother | 0.518 | 0.055 | 0.001 | ||
| Before | 52.82 ± 16.993 | 41.3333 ± 13.16 | |||
| After | 37.52 ± 12.98 | 48.66 ± 11.20 | |||
| One month later | 41.235 ± 15.50 | 49.571 ± 12.33 | |||
| Fear of giving birth to a child with physical or mental health issues | 0.491 | 0.150 | 0.001 | ||
| Before | 21.90 ± 6.016 | 14.90 ± 6.72 | |||
| After | 14.15 ± 6.33 | 19.33 ± 6.11 | |||
| One month later | 14.00 ± 6.21 | 19.285 ± 6.81 | |||
| Fear of childbirth | 0.108 | 0.069 | 0.001 | ||
| Before | 53.45 ± 14.16 | 43.428 ± 17.20 | |||
| After | 35.640 ± 13.03 | 53.76 ± 12.81 | |||
| One month after | 41.941 ± 17.76 | 55.428 ± 13.27 | |||
| Fear of changes in mood and its consequences for the child | 0.081 | 0.183 | 0.001 | ||
| Before | 62.70 ± 17.088 | 49.23 ± 16.67 | |||
| After | 42.60 ± 12.12 | 61.142 ± 10.34 | |||
| One month later | 47.58 ± 14.13 | 63.04 ± 11.90 | |||
| Fear of changes in the marital relationship | 0.127 | 0.294 | 0.001 | ||
| Before | 28.05 ± 7.52 | 21.57 ± 9.51 | |||
| After | 18.41 ± 7.25 | 27.85 ± 9.51 | |||
| One month later | 20.52 ± 7.2 | 28.04 ± 7.73 | |||
| Total Anxiety | 0.101 | 0.54 | 0.001 | ||
| Before | 219.05 ± 51.01 | 170.47 ± 52.51 | |||
| After | 148.35 ± 42.59 | 210.76 ± 30.21 | |||
| One month later | 148.35 ± 54.74 | 215.38 ± 31.17 |
aValues are expressed as mean ± SD.
bRepeated-measures test.
| Quality of Life | ACT (N = 20) | Control (N = 21) | P Value Group | P Value Time | P Value Time × Group |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Physical functioning | 0.679 | 0.013 | 0.355 | ||
| Before | 70.00 ± 16.543 | 71.190 ± 18.967 | |||
| After | 66.76 ± 18.10 | 66.904 ± 19.524 | |||
| One month later | 61.470 ± 19.666 | 67.381 ± 18.276 | |||
| Physical role functioning | 0.573 | 0. 012 | 0.017 | ||
| Before | 45.58 ± 39.76 | 52.38 ± 38.65 | |||
| After | 58.82 ± 35.29 | 52.976 ± 39.50 | |||
| One month later | 33.823 ± 35.29 | 52.381 ± 38.65 | |||
| Emotional role functioning | 0.249 | 0.494 | 0.616 | ||
| Before | 35.29 ± 44.83 | 52.381 ± 35.85 | |||
| After | 42.833 ± 32.86 | 52.381 ± 32.61 | |||
| One month later | 37.245 ± 38.778 | 49.206 ± 34.34 | |||
| Vitality | 0.096 | 0.021 | 0.002 | ||
| Before | 54.86 ± 24.48 | 51.50 ± 18.14 | |||
| After | 68.52 ± 12.59 | 49.250 ± 16.081 | |||
| One month later | 56.470 ± 18.937 | 50.250 ± 16.895 | |||
| Mental health | 0.094 | 0.103 | 0.011 | ||
| Before | 59.76 ± 26.09 | 55.238 ± 20.223 | |||
| After | 71.76 ± 18.99 | 51.809 ± 17.0 | |||
| One month later | 58.823 ± 20.72 | 53.142 ± 19.47 | |||
| Social role functioning | 0.886 | 0.127 | 0.191 | ||
| Before | 63.97 ± 22.04 | 66.071 ± 16.83 | |||
| After | 72.20 ± 15.43 | 66.071 ± 13.19 | |||
| One month later | 63.236 ± 20.477 | 65.119 ± 17.59 | |||
| Bodily pain | 0.237 | 0.467 | 0.399 | ||
| Before | 60.88 ± 18.02 | 69.881 ± 20.48 | |||
| After | 67.64 ± 16.38 | 68.452 ± 14.39 | |||
| One month later | 61.617 ± 18.56 | 67.261 ± 13.03 | |||
| General health perceptions | 0.614 | 0.005 | 0.011 | ||
| Before | 63.60 ± 24.33 | 69.34 ± 23.37 | |||
| After | 64.550 ± 20.477 | 55.7 ± 15.714 | |||
| One month later | 60.294 ± 16.05 | 55.47 ± 19.22 | |||
| Quality of life | 0.994 | 0.052 | 026 | ||
| Before | 57.77 ± 17.75 | 60.07 ± 14.20 | |||
| After | 63.24 ± 15.18 | 58.182 ± 13.49 | |||
| One month later | 55.47 ± 15.10 | 58.135 ± 13.86 |
aValues are expressed as mean ± SD.
bRepeated-measures test.
The difference between the three measurement times (before ACT, after ACT, and one month later) in fear of changes in the personal life of the mother was not significant (P = 0.055). The interaction of group with time was significant (P = 0.001). In the control group, the mean score of the fear of changes in the personal life of the mother increased during the study period. But in the intervention group, it first decreased and then increased. At both measurement times (after ACT and one month later), the mean score of the first dimension of anxiety was lower in the intervention group than in the control group.
The mean score of the second dimension of anxiety (fear of giving birth to a child with physical or mental health issues) was not significantly different between the three measurement times (before ACT, after ACT, one month later) (P = 0.150). The interaction between group and time was significant (P = 0.001). In the control group, the mean score of the second dimension of anxiety increased during the time. But in the intervention group, it reduced first and then remained constant. At both time points (after ACT and one month later), the mean score of the second dimension of anxiety was lower in the intervention group than in the control group.
The mean score of the third dimension of anxiety (fear of childbirth) was not significantly different between the three measurement times (before ACT, after ACT, and one month later) (P = 0.069). The interaction between group and time was significant (P = 0.001). In the control group, during the period, the mean score of the third dimension of the change was anxiety. But in the intervention group, it first decreased and then increased. At both time points (after ACT and one month later), the mean score of the third dimension of anxiety was lower in the intervention group than in the control group.
The mean score of the fourth dimension of anxiety (fear of changes in mood and its consequences for the child) was not significantly different between the three measurement times (before ACT, after ACT, and one month later) (P = 0.05). The interaction between the group and time was significant (P = 0.05). In the control group, the mean score of the fourth dimension of anxiety increased during the period. But in the intervention group, it first decreased and then increased. At both time points (after ACT and one month later), the mean score of the fourth dimension of anxiety was lower in the intervention group than in the control group.
The mean score of the fifth dimension of anxiety was significantly different between the three measurement times (before ACT, after ACT, and one month later) (P = 0.294). The interaction between group and time was significant (P = 0.001). In the control group, the mean score of the fifth dimension of the variable was anxiety during the time. But in the intervention group, it first decreased and then increased. At both time points (after ACT and one month later), the mean score of the fifth dimension of anxiety was lower in the intervention group than in the control group.
The mean score of total anxiety was not significantly different between the three measurement times (before ACT, after ACT, and one month later) (P = 0.054). The interaction between group and time was significant (P = 0.001). In the control group, the mean score of total anxiety increased during the time, but in the intervention group, it first decreased and then increased. At both time points (after ACT and one month later), the mean score was lower in the intervention group than in the control group.
The mean score of the first dimension of the quality of life (physical functioning) was significantly different between the three measurement times (before ACT, after ACT, and one month later) (P = 0.013). Over time, the mean score of physical functioning decreased. Also, the mean score was not significantly different between the two groups (P = 0.679).
The mean score of the second dimension of quality of life (physical role functioning) had a significant difference between the three measurement times (before ACT, after ACT, and one month later) (P = 0.012). The interaction between group and time was significant (P = 0.017). In the control group, the mean score of physical role functioning was constant during the study period, but in the intervention group, it first increased and then decreased.
The mean score of the third dimension of quality of life (emotional role functioning) was not significantly different between the three measurement times (before ACT, after ACT, and one month later) (P = 0.494). The mean score of emotional role functioning was not significantly different between the two groups (P = 0.249).
The mean score of the fourth dimension of quality of life (vitality) had a significant difference between the three measurement times (before ACT, after ACT, and one month later) (P = 0.021). The interaction between group and time was significant (P = 0.002). In the control group, the mean score of vitality was constant during the time, but in the intervention group, it first increased and then decreased. At all three time points, the mean vitalitywas greater in the intervention group than in the control group.
The mean score of the fifth dimension of quality of life (mental health) had no significant difference between the three measurement times (before ACT, after ACT, and one month later) (P = 0.103). The interaction between group and time was significant (P = 0.011). In the control group, the mean score of mental health was constant during the time, but in the intervention group, it first increased and then decreased. At all three time points, the median mental health was higher in the intervention group than in the control group.
The mean score of the sixth dimension of quality of life (social role functioning) was not significantly different between the three measurement times (before ACT, after ACT, and one month later) (P = 0.127). The mean social role functioning
(SF) was not significantly different between the two groups (P = 0.191).
The mean score of the seventh dimension of quality of life (bodily pain) was not significantly different between the three measurement times (before ACT, after ACT, and one month later) (P = 0.467). Also, the difference was not significant between the two groups (P = 0.399).
The mean general health (GH) had a significant difference between the three measurement times (before ACT, after ACT, and one month later) (P < 0.005). The interaction between group and time was significant (P < 0.011). In the control group, the mean GH initially decreased and then remained constant over time, but in the intervention group, decreased after a primary increase. At both time points (after ACT and one month later), the mean GH was greater in the intervention group than in the control group.
The mean score of the total quality of life was not significantly different between the three measurement times (before ACT, after ACT, and one month later) (P = 0.052). The interaction between group and time was significant (P = 0.026). In the control group, the mean score of total quality of life was constant during the time, but in the intervention group, it first increased and then decreased.
This content was originally published here.
