Future anxiety as a predictor of the fear of childbirth

Przemysław Zdybek; Monika Haimann

doi:10.25167/FF/2017/127-143

Published: 2018-11-06

Vol. 7 (2017)

Future anxiety as a predictor of the fear of childbirth

Przemysław Zdybek , Monika Haimann

Family Forum

Section: Rodzina i związki partnerskie w europejskim krajobrazie

https://doi.org/10.25167/FF/2017/127-143

Abstract

The fear of childbirth is an emotional phenomenon, the mild symptoms of which are felt by most women, independently of their condition and stage of their pregnancy. The fear of
childbirth is a variable which according to most research results has a negative influence on procreation decisions, the course of pregnancy and the childbirth. A group of Polish
women (N = 350) was examined. Woman participants were invited for research by gynaecological clinics. They filled in the questionnaire which includes Fear of Childbirth (Putyński,
1997), Future anxiety (Zaleski, 1996) Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory (Zimbardo & Boyd, 1999), obstetric and sociodemographic questions. The regression analysis
has been made testing to what extent the obstetric, sociodemographic and psychological factors explain the occurrence of the fear of childbirth. The obtained data make it possible
to differentiate the temporal orientation, future anxiety, as psychological variables having the biggest influence on the fear of childbirth.

Keywords:

fear of childbirth, time perspective, future anxiety, pregnancy, child

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Zdybek, P., & Haimann, M. (2018). Future anxiety as a predictor of the fear of childbirth. Family Forum, 7, 127–143. https://doi.org/10.25167/FF/2017/127-143

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Przemysław Zdybek

Affiliation:

Uniwersytet Opolski, Instytut Psychologii Poland

Monika Haimann

Affiliation:

Uniwersytet Opolski, Instytut Psychologii Poland