Examination of shame in infertile women through the concepts of self and ideal self

This study compared the dimensions of shame, specifically external shame, the real self, and the ideal self, between women diagnosed with infertility and multiparous women considered healthy in terms of fertility, and examined the relationships between these variables. For this purpose, data from a total of 114 participants, including 59 women diagnosed with infertility and 55 multiparous women, aged 20-49, were evaluated according to exclusion criteria. The data collection tools used in the study were the "Sociodemographic Information Form," the "Shaming the Other Scale-2," and the "Ideal and Real Self Concept Scale." The data were analyzed using IBM SPSS 22 and the Process Macro 4.3 plugin. Independent Samples T-Test was applied to compare the control and study groups, while Pearson Correlation Test, Multiple Regression Analysis, and Moderator Analysis were used to examine the relationships between variables. The results of the study indicated that there was no significant difference in the feeling of shame between women diagnosed with infertility and multiparous women. It was found that the magnitude of the difference between the real self and the ideal self was related to external shame. This study concluded that the feeling of shame is not only influenced by biological factors but also by psychosocial factors, coping strategies, education, and cultural variables. The findings suggest that having an unattainable ideal self may increase the feeling of shame. The study contributes to the literature by addressing the relationship between infertility and shame. However, the limited sample size and the fact that the sample was selected from the Istanbul province are considered limitations in terms of generalizability. It is believed that this study will serve as a guide for similar future research to be conducted with a larger sample size and in different cultural contexts.