Coping Strategies and Infertility Psychological Correlates: A Systematic Review of Literature on APIM Studies

Background Infertility, together with assisted reproductive technologies (ART), constitutes a chronic stressor for couples, eliciting anxiety, depression, and reduced quality of life. How partners regulate emotions and cope with infertility-related stress is central to adjustment, yet evidence on strategy-specific effects within couples remains fragmented.Methods A systematic review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines, covering studies from 2004 to 2025 across PsycINFO, PsycArticles, PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus. Eligible studies examined individual emotion regulation or coping strategies and psychological outcomes in clinical infertility or ART samples using the Actor–Partner Interdependence Model (APIM) to assess actor and partner effects.Results Four European studies were included. Maladaptive strategies—including avoidance, emotional venting, substance use, religious coping, self-blame, and conflict—were linked to higher anxiety and depression and lower quality of life, with gender- and strategy-specific patterns. Avoidance and emotional venting also negatively affected partners. Adaptive strategies—problem-solving, meaning-based coping, and positive attitude—were generally protective, whereas seeking social support showed inconsistent results.Conclusions Coping strategies exert nuanced effects on psychological adjustment to infertility and ART. Interventions should promote adaptive coping, reduce maladaptive strategies, and address dyadic dynamics to enhance emotional awareness and resilience within couples.Trial registration PROSPERO CRD420250654649