The Relationship of Personality Traits and Marital Satisfaction With Fear of Childbirth: The Mediating Role of Self-Efficacy

Fatemeh Rabbani; Mohammad Reza Seirafi; Marjan Akhavan Amjadi

Authors

Fatemeh Rabbani Department of Psychology, UAE.C., Islamic Azad University, Dubai, United Arab Emirates Author https://orcid.org/0009-0007-6848-9243
Mohammad Reza Seirafi Department of Health Psychology , Ka.C. , Islamic Azad University, Karaj , Iran Corresponding Author https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6285-4605
Marjan Akhavan Amjadi Department of Midwifery, TeMS.C., Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran Author https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1861-7944

Keywords:

fear of childbirth, personality traits, marital satisfaction, self-efficacy, pregnant women

Abstract

The present study aimed to examine the relationships of personality traits and marital satisfaction with fear of childbirth and to determine the mediating role of self-efficacy in these relationships. This study employed a descriptive-correlational design and structural equation modeling (SEM). The statistical population consisted of pregnant women attending the prenatal clinics affiliated with Shiraz University of Medical Sciences during 2025–2026, of whom 420 were selected through convenience sampling. Data were collected using the Childbirth Attitudes Questionnaire, the Morris General Self-Efficacy Questionnaire, the NEO Five-Factor Inventory–Short Form, and the Afrooz Marital Satisfaction Scale and were analyzed using Pearson’s correlation coefficient and structural equation modeling. The findings indicated that the proposed model demonstrated an acceptable fit to the data. Personality traits and marital satisfaction were positively associated with self-efficacy, whereas marital satisfaction and personality traits had significant negative direct associations with fear of childbirth. Among the personality dimensions, openness to experience, agreeableness, and conscientiousness were associated with lower fear of childbirth, with openness to experience demonstrating the strongest predictive power. Moreover, all dimensions of marital satisfaction showed significant negative associations with fear of childbirth, and overall marital satisfaction exhibited the strongest negative association. Although overall self-efficacy did not have a significant direct effect on fear of childbirth, social self-efficacy was significantly and negatively associated with fear of childbirth. Overall, the findings indicate that fear of childbirth results from the interaction of personality factors, interpersonal resources, and psychological beliefs, and that simultaneous attention to personality traits, the quality of the marital relationship, and self-efficacy resources may contribute to a better understanding and management of this fear among pregnant women.

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