Couples with Infertility: Sociocultural Considerations
Course Overview
The topic of infertility has increasingly been evolving from being considered a private issue to a more public medical topic. This course will provide an overview of the cultural context of infertility. Intertwined in this will be discussion of how women and children are viewed by different cultures and cultural meanings of infertility. Regardless of the sociocultural background of a couple experiencing infertility, it can be emotionally draining and can add strain to the marital relationship. Many infertile couples go through a grieving process as they wrestle with the loss of a dream to have a child, to be a parent, and/or their ideal future. Others experience significant stigma, what some have termed an "invisible shame." The course will also discuss the intersection of culture in coping and help-seeking patterns. Finally, culturally sensitive practice and intervention guidelines are offered.
Learning Outcomes
Upon the completion of this course, the learner should be able to:
- Define infertility and other terms associated with infertility.
- Discuss the scope of infertility among women in the United States and worldwide.
- Identify culture, race, and ethnicity, and outline demographic trends of different racial and ethnic groups in the United States.
- Explain the medicalization of infertility.
- Describe the cultural values of womanhood, family, and having children and how this affects the social construction of infertility.
- Discuss how various cultural groups ascribe meaning to infertility and fertility.
- Describe different help-seeking patterns in response to infertility.
- Identify psychologic and social consequences of infertility and how culture influences coping patterns.
- Evaluate racial and ethnic disparities in infertility treatment.
- Discuss best practice guidelines for assessments and interventions for couples who are experiencing infertility.
About the Author/Presenter
Alice Yick Flanagan, PhD, MSW, received her Master’s in Social Work from Columbia University, School of Social Work. She has clinical experience in mental health in correctional settings, psychiatric hospitals, and community health centers. In 1997, she received her PhD from UCLA, School of Public Policy and Social Research. Dr. Yick Flanagan completed a year-long post-doctoral fellowship at Hunter College, School of Social Work in 1999. In that year she taught the course Research Methods and Violence Against Women to Masters degree students, as well as conducting qualitative research studies on death and dying in Chinese American families.
Previously acting as a faculty member at Capella University and Northcentral University, Dr. Yick Flanagan is currently a contributing faculty member at Walden University, School of Social Work, and a dissertation chair at Grand Canyon University, College of Doctoral Studies, working with Industrial Organizational Psychology doctoral students. She also serves as a consultant/subject matter expert for the New York City Board of Education and publishing companies for online curriculum development, developing practice MCAT questions in the area of psychology and sociology. Her research focus is on the area of culture and mental health in ethnic minority communities.
Audience/Accreditations and Approvals
Colibri Healthcare
This course is designed for the following healthcare professions (select your profession for details):
Counselor, Nursing, Psychology, Social Work
If you require special accommodations, please contact Colibri Healthcare Support by clicking here: Contact Us
