Predicting Pregnancy-related Anxiety Based on the Spirituality Experience, Self-Compassion and Mindfulness
Journal of Pizhūhish dar dīn va Salāmat (i.e., Research on Religion & Health),
Vol. 11 No. 1 (2025),
25 December 2025
,
Page 10-24
https://doi.org/10.22037/jrrh.v11i1.44792
Abstract
Background and Objective: Pregnancy is an important experience that causes many psychological changes in women and requires special attention. The present study was conducted with the aim of predicting pregnancy anxiety in women with high-risk pregnancies based on spiritual experiences, self-compassion and mindfulness.
Methods: The research design was descriptive-correlational. The research population includes women with high-risk pregnancies who visited Al-Zahra Hospital in Rasht in the summer of 2023, out of whom 400 were selected by available sampling method. To collect data, the short-form pregnancy anxiety questionnaire by Huisink and Delforterie, the daily spiritual experiences questionnaire by Underwood and Teresi, the self-compassion questionnaire by Raes et al. and the mindfulness questionnaire by Brown and Ryan were used. For data analysis, Pearson's correlation coefficient and multiple regression were used using SPPS software version 25. In this research, all ethical considerations were observed and the authors of the article reported no conflict of interest.
Results: The results of Pearson’s correlation coefficients showed that the relationship between spiritual experiences and pregnancy anxiety (r=-0.11) was negative and significant at 0.05. The relationship of self-compassion (r=-0.36) and mindfulness (r=-0.41) with pregnancy anxiety was negative and significant at 0.01. The relationship of spiritual experiences with self-compassion (r=0.20) and mindfulness (r=0.11) was positive and significant at 0.01. The results of regression analysis showed that spiritual experiences, self-compassion and mindfulness predicted 19% (R2=0.19) of the variance in pregnancy anxiety (P<0.01). In examining the standard regression coefficients, it was found that self-compassion (β=-0.36) and mindfulness (β=-0.14) predict pregnancy anxiety negatively and significantly (P<0.01).
Conclusion: Based on the findings, the higher the self-compassion and mindfulness in women with high-risk pregnancies, the lower the pregnancy anxiety. The results of the present research can be used in designing educational and counseling programs for pregnant women.
Background and Objective: Pregnancy is a significant experience that causes many psychological changes in women and requires special attention. The present research was conducted to predict pregnancy anxiety based on spirituality, self-compassion, and mindfulness in pregnant women with high-risk pregnancies.
Methods: The method of this research is descriptive-correlational. The statistical population of the research was all pregnant women with high-risk pregnancies referring to Al-Zahra maternity hospital located in Rasht City. The research sample consisted of 400 subjects who were selected using available methods. After the people who did not meet the criteria for entering the research were eliminated, 379 people participated. A short form of a pregnancy pain questionnaire, daily spiritual experiences scale, self-compassion questionnaire, and mindfulness questionnaire were used to collect data, and a hierarchical and simultaneous regression method was used to analyze the findings. All ethical issues have been observed in this research, and the article's authors have not reported any conflict of interest.
Results: In the simultaneous regression analysis of pregnancy anxiety, spirituality, self-compassion, and mindfulness together predicted 19% (R2=0.19) of the variance of pregnancy anxiety (P<0.01). In examining the standard regression coefficients of self-compassion at the value of 0.36 (β=-0.36) and mindfulness at the value of 0.14 (β=-0.14) in a negative and significant way, the ability to predict pregnancy anxiety has (P < 0.01). Spirituality cannot predict pregnancy anxiety (P<0.05); However, the relationship between spirituality and pregnancy anxiety (-0.11) was negative and significant at the level of 0.05.
Conclusion: According to the results, the higher the level of spirituality, self-compassion, and mindfulness in women with high-risk pregnancies, the lower the level of reported pregnancy anxiety. Based on this, the results of the present study can provide helpful information for advancing scientific and practical knowledge for obstetricians and psychologists.
- Mindfulness
- Pregnancy anxiety
- Self-compassion
- Spiritualit
How to Cite
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