Relationship dynamics: the protective effect of relationship satisfaction and dependency on parents’ mental health after having a preterm baby
Introduction Having a premature infant who is hospitalized with the risk of death and potential health problems is a traumatic experience for many parents. The present study investigated the depression, anxiety, stress, and post-traumatic growth (PTG) experienced by couples after the premature birth...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Termedia Publishing House
2021-08-01
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| Series: | Health Psychology Report |
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| Online Access: | https://hpr.termedia.pl/Relationship-dynamics-r-nthe-protective-effect-of-relationship-satisfaction-r-nand,140072,0,2.html |
| _version_ | 1811280417149419520 |
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| author | İlknur Okay Çiğdem Yavuz Güler |
| author_facet | İlknur Okay Çiğdem Yavuz Güler |
| author_sort | İlknur Okay |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Introduction
Having a premature infant who is hospitalized with the risk of death and potential health problems is a traumatic experience for many parents. The present study investigated the depression, anxiety, stress, and post-traumatic growth (PTG) experienced by couples after the premature birth of their babies in terms of their relationship dynamics.
Material and methods
The study was conducted on 209 individuals – 159 mothers (76.1%) and 50 fathers (23.9%) – who had premature babies born at or before 32 weeks of gestation. The participants completed the Relationship Assessment Scale, Emotional Dependency Scale, Post-Traumatic Growth Inventory, the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale, and a sociodemographic form. For interpretation of the data, intervariable relationships were analyzed using the Pearson correlation coefficient, and the mediation models were analyzed by the regression-based bootstrapping technique using the PROCESS Macro.
Results
The relationship satisfaction and emotional dependency experienced by parents had a positive correlation with PTG following preterm birth. Relationship satisfaction was associated with lower levels of depression, anxiety, and stress. Emotional dependency was correlated with lower levels of depression and stress but not anxiety. For the mediating variables, it was found that depression and anxiety had a full mediating role between relationship satisfaction and PTG but stress did not. It was determined that depression had a partial mediating role between emotional dependency and PTG but anxiety and stress did not.
Conclusions
The study findings revealed the importance of establishing family- and baby-centered neurodevelopmental neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). The results suggested that having healthcare professionals, primarily nurses and doctors, make observations about the relationship dynamics of parents during their stay at the NICU and guide parents to receive psychological support if they perceive weaknesses in the relationship – since such weaknesses predict possible risks of depression, anxiety and stress – would support the functionality of families. The findings are discussed, and future directions are suggested. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T01:14:31Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-773214fc2656421fae0344fc7583a3ac |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2353-4184 2353-5571 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T01:14:31Z |
| publishDate | 2021-08-01 |
| publisher | Termedia Publishing House |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Health Psychology Report |
| spelling | doaj.art-773214fc2656421fae0344fc7583a3ac2022-12-22T03:09:01ZengTermedia Publishing HouseHealth Psychology Report2353-41842353-55712021-08-019437238710.5114/hpr.2021.108307140072Relationship dynamics: the protective effect of relationship satisfaction and dependency on parents’ mental health after having a preterm babyİlknur Okay0Çiğdem Yavuz Güler1El Bebek Gül Bebek Association, Istanbul, TurkeyFatih Sultan Mehmet Vakıf University, Istanbul, TurkeyIntroduction Having a premature infant who is hospitalized with the risk of death and potential health problems is a traumatic experience for many parents. The present study investigated the depression, anxiety, stress, and post-traumatic growth (PTG) experienced by couples after the premature birth of their babies in terms of their relationship dynamics. Material and methods The study was conducted on 209 individuals – 159 mothers (76.1%) and 50 fathers (23.9%) – who had premature babies born at or before 32 weeks of gestation. The participants completed the Relationship Assessment Scale, Emotional Dependency Scale, Post-Traumatic Growth Inventory, the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale, and a sociodemographic form. For interpretation of the data, intervariable relationships were analyzed using the Pearson correlation coefficient, and the mediation models were analyzed by the regression-based bootstrapping technique using the PROCESS Macro. Results The relationship satisfaction and emotional dependency experienced by parents had a positive correlation with PTG following preterm birth. Relationship satisfaction was associated with lower levels of depression, anxiety, and stress. Emotional dependency was correlated with lower levels of depression and stress but not anxiety. For the mediating variables, it was found that depression and anxiety had a full mediating role between relationship satisfaction and PTG but stress did not. It was determined that depression had a partial mediating role between emotional dependency and PTG but anxiety and stress did not. Conclusions The study findings revealed the importance of establishing family- and baby-centered neurodevelopmental neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). The results suggested that having healthcare professionals, primarily nurses and doctors, make observations about the relationship dynamics of parents during their stay at the NICU and guide parents to receive psychological support if they perceive weaknesses in the relationship – since such weaknesses predict possible risks of depression, anxiety and stress – would support the functionality of families. The findings are discussed, and future directions are suggested.https://hpr.termedia.pl/Relationship-dynamics-r-nthe-protective-effect-of-relationship-satisfaction-r-nand,140072,0,2.htmldepressionpremature birthpost-traumatic growthrelationship dynamics |
| spellingShingle | İlknur Okay Çiğdem Yavuz Güler Relationship dynamics: the protective effect of relationship satisfaction and dependency on parents’ mental health after having a preterm baby Health Psychology Report depression premature birth post-traumatic growth relationship dynamics |
| title | Relationship dynamics:
the protective effect of relationship satisfaction
and dependency on parents’ mental health
after having a preterm baby |
| title_full | Relationship dynamics:
the protective effect of relationship satisfaction
and dependency on parents’ mental health
after having a preterm baby |
| title_fullStr | Relationship dynamics:
the protective effect of relationship satisfaction
and dependency on parents’ mental health
after having a preterm baby |
| title_full_unstemmed | Relationship dynamics:
the protective effect of relationship satisfaction
and dependency on parents’ mental health
after having a preterm baby |
| title_short | Relationship dynamics:
the protective effect of relationship satisfaction
and dependency on parents’ mental health
after having a preterm baby |
| title_sort | relationship dynamics the protective effect of relationship satisfaction and dependency on parents mental health after having a preterm baby |
| topic | depression premature birth post-traumatic growth relationship dynamics |
| url | https://hpr.termedia.pl/Relationship-dynamics-r-nthe-protective-effect-of-relationship-satisfaction-r-nand,140072,0,2.html |
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