Self-Esteem and Defense Mechanisms in Infertile Couples Based on the Cause of Infertility in Royan Infertility Treatment Center in 2017

Introduction: Infertility could decrease the self-esteem of the infertile couples. Using the defensive style is one way to deal with stressful events. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the role of self-esteem and defense mechanisms based on the cause of infertility. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 400 infertile couples referred to infertility center in Tehran, Iran. Participates classified in 4 groups for the cause of infertility: female, male, both and unknown. Data gathering tools in this study were demographic questionnaire, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and Defense Styles Questionnaire (DSQ). Data were analyzed (SPSS 18 software) using paired t-test for comparison between the groups according to the cause of infertility and using regression analyses tests. Results: The results of this study showed that men in female infertility group has significantly higher self –esteem than other groups (P