by psychiatric history, whereas preabortion doubt was higher for
women with previous MDs. Experienced pressure of partner
and/or family members has been found to be a predictor of
postabortion distress[18,19]; however, in our sample we did not
find any significant group differences for experienced pressure
after we controlled for confounders. This could be due to low
levels of experienced pressure in both groups. Earlier studies
showed that most women experience relief after an abortion,
irrespective of the presence of other emotions[3,5]. Because our
positive emotion scale was largely based on the emotion “relief,”
and all women scored at the high end of the scale, it comes as no
surprise that we found no significant group differences
regarding positive emotions. As for coping, it seems fitting
that the psychiatric history group shows more emotion- and
avoidance-oriented coping because they experience more
burden and negative emotions, which might need to be
“regulated.” Theory and research also suggests that intense
reactions to stressful events prompt more frequent use of a wide
range of coping responses [34].
Results for doubt and avoidance-oriented coping were
strongest for the group with comorbid internalizing and
externalizing disorders. The most vulnerable group in terms
of psychiatric history experiences doubt the strongest,
perhaps it is most adaptive for this group to use avoidance
coping to deal with the irreversible abortion afterwards.
Experienced burden and emotion-oriented coping were