Health, Spirituality and Medical Ethics

Background and Objectives: Physiological changes and psychological adaptations during pregnancy period expose pregnant mothers to increased risk of depression, anxiety, and stress. Presently, spiritual intelligence is addressed as one of the most influential issues in mental and emotional health of individuals. This study was conducted aimed at examination of the relationship between spiritual intelligence, on the one hand, and depression, anxiety, and stress, on the other, among pregnant women.

Methods: This descriptive-correlative study was performed on 182 pregnant women using Stratified Random Sampling method. Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21) and King Spiritual Intelligence Self-Report Inventory were used to evaluate and compare research’s variables. SPSS, version 16, and descriptive-analytical statistical methods were employed to analyze data.

Results: Results indicated that there was a negative, significant relationship between all scales of spiritual intelligence components and subscales of depression and stress during pregnancy period (P<0.05). There was a negative, significant relationship between critical existential thinking and personal meaning production, on the one hand, and stress, on the other, in pregnancy period (P<0.05). Multiple regressions analysis indicated that predictor variables explain criterion variables in a significant way.

Conclusion: Pregnant women with higher degrees of spiritual intelligence tend to have lower degrees of depression, anxiety, and stress during their pregnancy period.