Mothers and Fathers in NICU: The Impact of Preterm Birth on Parental Distress
Preterm birth is a stressful event for families. In particular, the unexpectedly early delivery may cause negative feelings in mothers and fathers. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between preterm birth, parental stress and negative feelings, and the environmental setting of NIC...
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| Format: | Article |
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PsychOpen GOLD/ Leibniz Institute for Psychology
2016-11-01
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| Series: | Europe's Journal of Psychology |
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| Online Access: | http://ejop.psychopen.eu/article/view/1093 |
| _version_ | 1797968685749501952 |
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| author | Chiara Ionio Caterina Colombo Valeria Brazzoduro Eleonora Mascheroni Emanuela Confalonieri Francesca Castoldi Gianluca Lista |
| author_facet | Chiara Ionio Caterina Colombo Valeria Brazzoduro Eleonora Mascheroni Emanuela Confalonieri Francesca Castoldi Gianluca Lista |
| author_sort | Chiara Ionio |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Preterm birth is a stressful event for families. In particular, the unexpectedly early delivery may cause negative feelings in mothers and fathers. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between preterm birth, parental stress and negative feelings, and the environmental setting of NICU. 21 mothers (age = 36.00 ± 6.85) and 19 fathers (age = 34.92 ± 4.58) of preterm infants (GA = 30.96 ± 2.97) and 20 mothers (age = 40.08 ± 4.76) and 20 fathers (age = 40.32 ± 6.77) of full-term infants (GA = 39.19 ± 1.42) were involved. All parents filled out the Parental Stressor Scale: Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, the Impact of Event Scale Revised, Profile of Mood States, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support and the Post-Partum Bonding Questionnaire. Our data showed differences in emotional reactions between preterm and full-term parents. Results also revealed significant differences between mothers and fathers’ responses to preterm birth in terms of stress, negative feelings, and perceptions of social support. A correlation between negative conditions at birth (e.g., birth weight and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit stay) and higher scores in some scales of Impact of Event Scale Revised, Profile of Mood States and Post-Partum Bonding Questionnaire were found. Neonatal Intensive Care Unit may be a stressful place both for mothers and fathers. It might be useful to plan, as soon as possible, interventions to help parents through the experience of the premature birth of their child and to begin an immediately adaptive mode of care. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T02:50:41Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-36d2ef99d4cf49d1909bb01a49fdd6f0 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1841-0413 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T02:50:41Z |
| publishDate | 2016-11-01 |
| publisher | PsychOpen GOLD/ Leibniz Institute for Psychology |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Europe's Journal of Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-36d2ef99d4cf49d1909bb01a49fdd6f02023-01-02T16:29:25ZengPsychOpen GOLD/ Leibniz Institute for PsychologyEurope's Journal of Psychology1841-04132016-11-0112460462110.5964/ejop.v12i4.1093ejop.v12i4.1093Mothers and Fathers in NICU: The Impact of Preterm Birth on Parental DistressChiara Ionio0Caterina Colombo1Valeria Brazzoduro2Eleonora Mascheroni3Emanuela Confalonieri4Francesca Castoldi5Gianluca Lista6Centro di Ricerca sulle Dinamiche evolutive ed educative (CRIdee), Department of Psychology, Catholic University of Milan, Milan, ItalyNeonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), V. Buzzi-Ospedale dei Bambini, ICP, Milan, ItalyNeonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), V. Buzzi-Ospedale dei Bambini, ICP, Milan, ItalyCentro di Ricerca sulle Dinamiche evolutive ed educative (CRIdee), Department of Psychology, Catholic University of Milan, Milan, ItalyCentro di Ricerca sulle Dinamiche evolutive ed educative (CRIdee), Department of Psychology, Catholic University of Milan, Milan, ItalyNeonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), V. Buzzi-Ospedale dei Bambini, ICP, Milan, ItalyNeonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), V. Buzzi-Ospedale dei Bambini, ICP, Milan, ItalyPreterm birth is a stressful event for families. In particular, the unexpectedly early delivery may cause negative feelings in mothers and fathers. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between preterm birth, parental stress and negative feelings, and the environmental setting of NICU. 21 mothers (age = 36.00 ± 6.85) and 19 fathers (age = 34.92 ± 4.58) of preterm infants (GA = 30.96 ± 2.97) and 20 mothers (age = 40.08 ± 4.76) and 20 fathers (age = 40.32 ± 6.77) of full-term infants (GA = 39.19 ± 1.42) were involved. All parents filled out the Parental Stressor Scale: Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, the Impact of Event Scale Revised, Profile of Mood States, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support and the Post-Partum Bonding Questionnaire. Our data showed differences in emotional reactions between preterm and full-term parents. Results also revealed significant differences between mothers and fathers’ responses to preterm birth in terms of stress, negative feelings, and perceptions of social support. A correlation between negative conditions at birth (e.g., birth weight and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit stay) and higher scores in some scales of Impact of Event Scale Revised, Profile of Mood States and Post-Partum Bonding Questionnaire were found. Neonatal Intensive Care Unit may be a stressful place both for mothers and fathers. It might be useful to plan, as soon as possible, interventions to help parents through the experience of the premature birth of their child and to begin an immediately adaptive mode of care.http://ejop.psychopen.eu/article/view/1093prematurityNICUparental stressparentingcaring |
| spellingShingle | Chiara Ionio Caterina Colombo Valeria Brazzoduro Eleonora Mascheroni Emanuela Confalonieri Francesca Castoldi Gianluca Lista Mothers and Fathers in NICU: The Impact of Preterm Birth on Parental Distress Europe's Journal of Psychology prematurity NICU parental stress parenting caring |
| title | Mothers and Fathers in NICU: The Impact of Preterm Birth on Parental Distress |
| title_full | Mothers and Fathers in NICU: The Impact of Preterm Birth on Parental Distress |
| title_fullStr | Mothers and Fathers in NICU: The Impact of Preterm Birth on Parental Distress |
| title_full_unstemmed | Mothers and Fathers in NICU: The Impact of Preterm Birth on Parental Distress |
| title_short | Mothers and Fathers in NICU: The Impact of Preterm Birth on Parental Distress |
| title_sort | mothers and fathers in nicu the impact of preterm birth on parental distress |
| topic | prematurity NICU parental stress parenting caring |
| url | http://ejop.psychopen.eu/article/view/1093 |
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