The Psychosocial Factors of the Abortion Experience

A Critical Review

Bibliographic Data

ID14717412
AuthorsLisa Roseman Shusterman (Northwestern University, corresponding author)
Year1976
Volume1
Issue1
Pages79-106
Publication date1976-09-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenuePsychology of Women Quarterly (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0361-6843 • E-ISSN: 1471-6402
PublisherSAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1111/j.1471-6402.1976.tb00810.x
PMID12334843
OpenAlexW2058296051
LanguageEN
Citations received8
References cited42

The literature on the psychosocial factors of abortion is critically reviewed. It is concluded that due to faulty methodology no general statements can be made about these factors for women receiving illegal abortions. It appears that the data showing that women receiving therapeutic abortions experienced favorable psychological conseuqences are stronger than the data indicating negative consequences. Studies of abortion on request, which, for the most part, have been methodologically sound, indicate that the new abortion patients are mostly young, unmarried women who are not in a social position to bear and care for a child. They tend to end their pregnancies for social and economic reasons. Further, they are either not aware of or not concerned about the possibility of getting pregnant at the time of intercourse, or they have a contraceptive failure. Finally, the psychological consequences of abortion on request appear to be mostly benign

Abortion · Developed country · Environmental health · Family planning · Population · Pregnancy · Psychiatry · Psychopathology · Psychosocial · Research methodology · Therapeutic abortion · Maternal and Perinatal Health Interventions · Medicine · Psychology · Reproductive Health and Contraception · Reproductive Health and Technologies

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